Girls Night Out
by hadleygirl
Summary: Next in the TAD series, Abby & Callie plan a night on the town, but it's never that simple when an old nemesis decides to use the girls in a plan for revenge against the Boss.
1. Chapter 1

It had been an extremely long week for Team Gibbs. A tip on an old cold case had led to a burned out car which had led to a burned body in the trunk of the car which had led to the apprehension of a former Navy petty officer. Under Gibbs intense interrogation, coupled with Abby's miraculous forensics work, the accused had no choice but to confess. Tim and Tony were finishing the reports when Callie joined the group.

Dressed in black cargo pants with black Doc Martens and a tight, long sleeved thermal shirt, she was a redheaded version of the resident Lab Goth, minus the black nail polish and lipstick. As she slid into her desk to finish her work, she felt the three men's stares.

"What?" She asked to no one specifically.

Tony said, "I don't recall seeing that particular outfit in your closet."

"Been going through my closet, DiNozzo?" she shot back.

Casting an uncomfortable glance towards Gibbs before replying, "You know what I mean."

She smiled and teased, "Do I, Anthony?"

Tony blushed and quickly returned to finishing his work while Gibbs and McGee shared a quick smirk.

From behind them, the elevator doors sounded the presence of another person and Abby bounded her way to Callie's desk. Dressed almost identically to Callie, she pulled the shorter agent from behind her desk.

"You're adorable!" Abby gushed.

"It's a great fit. Thanks for thinking of me."

"You don't mind being twinkies?"

Callie smiled back, "Are you kidding?"

From behind them, a very droll Gibbs replied, "I was thinking you looked more like Mutt and Jeff."

At 5' 10 without her heels, Abby towered over the more petite Callie. The girls turned at the same time, pinning Gibbs with a glare as he continued. "Where exactly are you two headed?"

"Its girl's night out, Gibbs," Abby explained. "We've been planning for weeks and decided tonight was as good a night as any."

"You didn't mention that to me," McGee quickly crossed to stand beside Abby. "I thought we had plans."

From his desk, Tony added, "Yeah, I don't recall you sharing that information with me, either, Harris."

The girls crossed to their respective fellows, "I didn't know I had to clear all my dates with you, DiNozzo." Callie replied, a slight enigmatic tone to her voice.

"And, we don't have plans, Tim, for every Friday night," Abby countered.

The two couples continued to argue until a shrill whistle from the boss cut them off.

"Look, this why it's never a good idea to date your coworkers. I don't like listening to the arguing and I'm sure as hell not going to referee."

Callie grinned at the older man before turning back to Tony, "Look, we're just going to a club, have a few drinks, and blow off some steam. We'll be in by midnight. 1 A.M. at the latest."

"If you're both so worried about it, why don't you two guys do something and we'll come back to Tony's when we're done," Abby supplied.

Tim shared a look with Tony who nodded and replied, "Okay. One A.M. at the latest. I'll see you both at my apartment where you can sleep it off."

The girls gave the guys a hug and with a wave at Gibbs were on the elevator and already giggling the entire time.

Gibbs watched them go, a peculiar feeling starting deep down in his gut. He tried to appear unconcerned as he asked, "You know exactly which club they're headed to?"

Tim replied, "Probably The Drunken Lizard. It's one of Abby's favorite places. All the people know her and the door man usually slips her in VIP."

Tony smiled. Gibbs may not like to admit it but he was protective of all of the team. He didn't interfere in their free time but he had all their numbers, cell and home, programmed into his phone and he had keys to all their apartments, for emergencies. As he finished his report and carried it to the Boss' desk, Tony answered, "Since it seems Tim and I are thrown together for the evening, do you want to join us?"

Gibbs was a bit surprised at Tony's offer. McGee quickly followed, "Yeah, you might as well, Boss. What else have you got to do?"

Gibbs glared at Tim's comment. "I didn't mean that the way it sounded. I mean, you've got lots of stuff I'm sure you could do. I just meant…"

The Boss let him off the hook, "I know what you meant, McGee."

The guys both stood expectantly watching Gibbs go through powering down his computer and locking away his things. He finally looked up at the two agents and replied, "Fine, but I'm bringing the beer. That cheap ass stuff you two drink is like water."

Tony and Tim both laughed. "I'll pickup the pizzas." Tony supplied.

"I guess that leaves me with movies," McGee added.

"None of this new age crap, McGee, find some good actors." Gibbs ordered.

"On it, Boss." Tim answered as Gibbs headed to the elevator.

Tony let the door close before he replied to McGee, "Make sure you've got plenty of change, McGee. We'll wind up playing poker until we pass out."

"You think?"

"I know," Tony replied, "The few times he's been to my apartment, that's how we spent the night. And, I can guarantee you, he's not going to sleep until the girls get in."

Tim walked up to Tony's desk, "You think he's that worried about them?"

Tony shrugged, "I don't know but he watched them all the way to the elevator and I've seen that look before. If I hadn't invited him, he'd have shown up. At least this way, I don't have to worry about the alarm going off twice."

McGee laughed, "OK. See you in half an hour."

"See you then," Tony replied as he watched McGee leave.

Sitting at his desk, Tony began to get an uneasy feeling. He knew Callie could take care of herself but he just didn't like it when she, or for that fact Abby, was out alone. Maybe it was from working too closely. Or, maybe it was from experiences with Kate, Paula and Ziva. Or, maybe, it was just…DiNozzo shook it off. He was not becoming like Gibbs.


	2. Chapter 2

The door man at the club recognized Abby instantly. Waving the two girls inside, they quickly found a table, halfway between the bar and the dance floor. The music was loud and throbbing. Callie flagged down a server and ordered food and two drinks. Abby was immediately surrounded by regulars that had to chat her up and catch up on the latest in the lab tech's life.

"Don't look now, Cal, but those two guys are totally checking us out!" Abby yelled over the music.

The two guys in question were young and had the appearance of Euro-trash. Those playboy types who liked to show they had more money than good sense. Dressed trendily, both men had dark hair and dark eyes. One of the men wore glasses. Callie made eye contact and smiled and turned back to her partner in crime, "Do you know them?"

"No, but, they seem nice enough. They sent these last drinks over."

"They seem young!" Callie said again over the din of the music.

Abby laughed, "You think everyone seems young to you, Callie."

Callie laughed back, "That's because everyone is young to me, Abby, except Gibbs."

"You don't seem to let that bother you with Tony," Abby's tone was knowing.

She punched the younger girl and then downed her drink. They were already on their third or fourth round of the evening. Somewhere, Callie had lost count. The two guys in question joined them and invited them to dance. Harris immediately noticed the Eastern European accent as the guys talked. However, sensing no real threat, Callie agreed and signaled Abby to follow, realizing that Abby was already on the dance floor. They stayed for a couple of fast paced numbers and then the girls excused themselves back to their table, only to find another round of drinks. They continued to enjoy the night and each other's company.

Callie glanced quickly at her watch, "only 11:30," she thought to herself, "another thirty or forty-five minute won't hurt."

They had another round of drinks when Abby suddenly grabbed Callie's arm.

"Hey, Cal?"

"Yeah, Abs, what is it?"

Abby swallowed convulsively, "I suddenly don't feel so good. Think we can go ahead and go?"

Noticing the slur in Abby's speech, Callie became instantly concerned, "You bet, girlfriend. Let's get you up."

As she stood from the table, Callie felt herself sway slightly. Shrugging it off to the greater amount of liquor to food consumed, Harris reached to help Abby towards the exit. It was then, Callie realized, that she wasn't going to make it either. Suddenly, they were surrounded by the two men with whom they had danced earlier.

In a heavily accented voice, glasses guy said, "I'm Ivan. Let me help you."

"And I'm Edvard," the other one spoke, taking Abby's weight on him. "Come this way."

Callie wanted to fight. Every fiber of her being told her this was wrong. She cast a quick glance toward Abby only to see that she had completely passed out. Realizing that she wasn't very far behind, Callie tried one last time to protest but nothing would come out. She looked into Ivan's face and saw the knowing smile just before she, too, passed out.

* * *

The guys were actually having a pretty good time. Gibbs and Tim had made Tony's apartment at about the same time. Grabbing plates and refrigerated mugs for the beer, Tony served his guests from the kitchen and then joined the other two at the table.

Gibbs pulled the deck of cards from his pocket as Tony flashed an evil grin at McGee, "Told you so."

Tim reached in his pocket and pulled out a handful of pennies, nickels and dimes and dropped them on the table. Smiling, Gibbs said, "So Tony warned you, did he?"

"Sure did, Boss."

"Did he also tell you I nearly always clean him out?"

"Didn't mention that part but, you need to know," McGee paused, "I was the poker king in my dorm at MIT three years running."

Tony smiled, taking the cards from Gibbs and handing them to McGee, "Well, then, McPoker King, shuffle up and deal."

Two hours later, Tim was completely wiped out. Between Gibbs inscrutable face and Tony's tendency to bluff, McGee was broke. He watched the two other agents play and realized that they knew each other's moves and tendencies pretty well. This was going to be a marathon, especially since the two of them were now playing on Tim's money instead of their own.

McGee settled down on Tony's couch and popped in one of the movies he had rented from the store. The John Wayne classic, _True Grit_, started to play on DiNozzo's entertainment system.

From the table, McGee heard, "Now that's a real movie, McGee! Good job."

He smiled at the boss' approval and settled into watch the classic. As the action began to get good, Tony and L.J. stopped their game and joined Tim to finish out the film. Somewhere, before the end credits, Tim and Tony were both sound asleep on the couch. Digging around in the bag McGee had brought, Gibbs found _The Green Berets_. Popping it into the DVD player, he settled down to watch the second John Wayne film and wait on the two girls to return from their night out.


	3. Chapter 3

"Wake up!" The growl was accompanied by a slap to the back of DiNozzo's head.

Jumping straight up, "I'm awake, Boss. What is it?"

Slapping Tim on the back of the head, Gibbs continued, "It's 3 AM and they're not back yet."

Tim was instantly alert, "Well, have they tried to call?"

"No, McGee," Gibbs tone was exasperated; "They have not tried to call. And both of their phones go to voice mail."

Tony ran for his laptop. Clearing a spot on the table, McGee took the computer and quickly powered it up. "Okay, I'm searching for their cell phones now."

Tony watched Gibbs pace furiously around the apartment. "If they didn't show up here just to try to prove a point, so help me, I'll beat them both."

"Hurry, McGee," Tony said, sotto voce.

"I've got them. Both of their phones show to be in the exact same place. I'm getting the address now."

Doing the criss/cross check, McGee pulled the address. Tony recognized it immediately.

"It's the address for the club." Tony continued, "I took Abby there a few times, just so she wouldn't have to go by herself. Its been awhile but I still remember the address."

Gibbs wasn't surprised. While he quietly considered himself Papa Bear, Tony took the role of big brother. The others may not realize it but Jethro did. He could pick on the siblings as much as he wanted to but let someone else try and they would have Tony to deal with.

"Alright, let's go," Gibbs grabbed his jacket and followed closely behind by Tony and Tim, they headed for the garage and Gibbs car.

Twenty minutes from Tony's apartment brought them to the location of The Drunken Lizard lounge. As they neared the establishment, the men could see smoke and flames billowing. Pulling into a parking lot a few blocks down the street, the three agents made their way to the fire. Flashing their credentials to a nearby fire captain, Gibbs asked, "Special Agent Gibbs. What building is this?"

The man read the badge and replied, "The Drunken Lizard, why?"

Tony and Tim shared a look as Gibbs continued, "Two of my agents were in there tonight. This is also the last location of their cell phones. Have you got casualties?"

"None that we know of yet. The fire started well after closing time." The captain supplied.

Pulling a card from his pocket, Gibbs went on, "As soon as this fire's under control, I'd like to have a look at the scene. Also, any reports you'll have. Are you thinking arson?"

"Too soon to tell, Agent Gibbs, but I'll pass on your card to the Chief."

Gibbs nodded his thanks and turned to his two junior agents. "Start a perimeter search. If this place is a total loss then that means any surveillance from inside the club will be lost. We'll need anything we can find from surrounding buildings."

"On it, Boss." Both men answered simultaneously.

Gibbs continued to walk around the barricaded area, searching for any sign that the two females had made it out. In the parking lot across from the bar, Gibbs found Callie's car. Using his weapon, he broke the driver's side windshield and opened the vehicle. A quick inspection turned up two things that made Gibbs even more unhappy. He found Harris' NCIS identification and her back up weapon. Unlocking the trunk, he found her service revolver secured in the gun case. Slamming the trunk closed, he cursed Callie for not being more prepared.

He was joined shortly by Tony. Noticing Callie's vehicle, he asked, "Don't guess she's armed is she?"

"Hell, no." Gibbs replied tersely, "What did you find?"

"Three buildings that appear to have some type of outside surveillance. Talked to one of the cops that was first on the scene. He said the building appeared already locked up for the night. That's what made him notice the flames."

"We both know, DiNozzo," Gibbs gritted out, "That the bodies could already have been inside and the fire started to cover the murder."

"Yeah, Boss, I know," Tony stated quietly.

McGee finally joined the other two agents, "I've got two buildings and an ATM machine and traffic camera that should have video."

"Alright." Gibbs replied, rubbing a hand across the back of his neck, "Let's get back to the Navy Yard and start making phone calls. I want to piece together some kind of puzzle on this scene right away."

"Gibbs, maybe we should go by Callie and Abby's apartments, just in case?" McGee volunteered.

"I'll take you back for your vehicle, McGee and you can do that. If you find either one of them, put them in handcuffs and bring them in." Gibbs was deadly serious.

Tim and Tony shared another glance before McGee replied, "Yes, sir, Boss." And the men fell into step behind their very pissed leader.


	4. Chapter 4

As Callie slowly came to, there were several things she began to realize. First of all, there didn't seem to be any more loud music coming from the club. Secondly, there was a dull, throbbing ache that started at the base of her neck and radiated forward that she couldn't seem to explain. Third, there was a sharp pain in her arms and shoulders as if someone were trying to separate her appendages without anesthesia.

Finally opening her eyes, she began to make sense of a few things. There was no loud music because she was no longer in the club. The pain in her arms and shoulders were because she was now chained, like a slab of meat, to a pipe secured to the roof of whatever room they were in. The pain in her head would have to wait until she could figure out more about where she was.

Twisting as best she could, Callie noticed the cinder block walls and small windows suddenly reminding her of Gibbs basement. Across one side of the room was a table, set up like some prop from a mad scientist's laboratory. In the corner, somewhere behind the table, Callie could just make out a form, all dressed in black.

Quietly she called, "Abs? Is that you?"

Abby's head jerked up at the sound of Callie's voice. Making eye contact, Harris could see the tear stained face and red eyes that meant Abby had been crying. She didn't appear hurt and she also didn't appear to be shackled like Callie.

"Oh my god, Callie! What's going on?" Abby cried from the corner but didn't move.

"That's what I'm hoping you can help me with, Abby. What do you remember?"

"I remember getting sick and us trying to leave the club. When I woke up, we were both side by side. When one of the guys tried to check to see if you were awake, you kicked him in the balls and blacked his eye. That's when the other one clubbed you on the head and chained you to the ceiling."

Well, that explained the dull, throbbing ache. "So, are you chained?"

"No, but I'm scared to move." She whimpered.

Keeping her voice calm, Callie answered back, "Okay, Abby. Why are you scared to move?"

From her corner, Abby pointed to the opposite wall. Moving her body to look in that direction, Callie spotted the two men who had picked them up in the bar last night. One did, indeed, have a black eye and both had a bullet to the forehead. They were now laying in a heap in the floor. Instantly on guard, Callie asked, "Abby, did you see them get killed?"

From behind her, a deep voice, in Russian accented English replied, "She did, indeed, see them meet their untimely demise." The man moved around to Callie's field of vision, continuing to speak as he did so, "When you make a mistake, in my world, you pay for it with your life. They were only to bring me Miss Sciuto. You were not part of the bargain, Special Agent Harris."

"It wasn't necessary to kill them in front of her," Callie ground out.

Pulling Abby up from the corner and dragging her close to him, the man answered, "On the contrary, it was very necessary. This way, I insure Miss Sciuto's cooperation or she knows she may meet the same end."

Callie could see Abby start to shake.

"And exactly what is it you need Abby's cooperation?" Callie quizzed.

"Ah, well, I need Miss Sciuto to help me with a project I'm working on. Her laboratory skills are without question some of the best in the world. I'm going to use her to help me make money." The man replied, his tone drippingly smooth.

"Want to explain that in detail?" Callie asked.

He smiled malevolently, "Not really, Agent Harris. I think I would rather just show you. This way, I can make sure Abby really does know what she's doing."

Releasing her abruptly, the man walked to the table Callie had seen earlier and removed a hypodermic needle and syringe from a case. Walking towards Callie, he grabbed the cuffs with one hand, effectively stopping her from any chance she might have had to lash out. He shot part of the liquid into the air, removing any air bubbles and quickly injected Callie. She flinched as the needle pierced her skin.

"What…what have you done?" Abby found her voice.

The man let Callie go and returned the syringe to the case, placing it under his arm. He slowly turned to Abby and answered, "I have injected Agent Harris with a biological agent that will soon begin to terrorize her body. She will start with a fever and chills, not unlike a common cold. It will then progress to a more nasty stomach virus before completely rendering her unconscious. If you cannot find an antidote, Miss Scuito, your friend will be dead in three hours." He laughed and left the room, locking the door behind him.

Callie watched Abby go from pale to paler as the man spoke. She knew Abby could help her but Harris had to get her focused. Taking a deep breath, Callie called out.

"Abby."

No response.

"Abby."

Still no response.

In her best Gibbs voice, Callie tried again, "Abigail!"

Abby jerked her attention to Callie. Finally coming near her, the lab tech wrapped her arms around Callie and began to cry again.

"Abby, I need you to listen to me."

She snuffled and then looked into Callie's green eyes, "You are my best and only hope, Abigail. If anyone can save me, it's you. All you need to do is work on finding my cure and that gives Gibbs and the guys time to get to us."

Callie saw the doubt in the Goth's eyes. "Abby, you've got three hours. That's all the time Tony, Tim and Jethro need to get to us. By the time you save me, they'll be here to get us both out. And, I'd really like to be alive to see that happen." Callie smiled.

"How can you make jokes?" Abby was disgusted.

"Because, Abby, if I don't laugh, I'll cry, too and we can't have that. Now get your butt over there and get to work. I believe in you, Abigail Sciuto. I need you to save me." Callie's tone was firm.

Abby looked at the fiery red head. Even chained to a ceiling and with three hours to live, she still was full of piss and vinegar. Abby smiled back, "I'll have to draw blood and see if I can figure out what's going on."

"Do your damndest, Abs. I'm not going anywhere," Callie laughed.

Abby took a deep breath. "Alright, Callie." She turned to grab the tourniquet and vials she would need to draw the blood. "Here's what I need from you to help me."

Callie nodded as Abby continued to talk and work at the same time, "I need you to keep me informed when you feel the symptoms come on. I can't watch you and do the work. You're going to have to talk to me."

"Okay."

"And, you need to know, there's a chance that even if I come up with an antidote, it might not work. The only way I'll have to test it is to use it on you. So, one way or the other, you might still be dead in three hours."

Callie nodded and answered sarcastically, "Wow. Okay, Abs. Don't sugarcoat it for me. Dead with or without the antidote. I'll take Dead with the Antidote for $500, Alex."

Abby smiled having used the dialog to distract Callie while she drew the blood. "Let's get to work, shall we?" Abby replied, the fear in her tone replaced by determination.

Callie smiled. Abby was back in the game.


	5. Chapter 5

It was 5 A.M. when Tony started making phone calls to the surrounding businesses. Tim made it into the bullpen by 6, having checked both Callie and Abby's apartments. Neither appeared to have been used in the last couple of days. Gibbs had the report from the fire department by 7 A.M. The fire marshal confirmed it was arson. There had been no human remains located and all physical evidence had been completely destroyed, including the security cameras. While Tim and Tony continued with their phone calls, securing any and all archival footage they could, Gibbs had contacted the club owner, getting a list of employees, which he began interviewing. He was able to confirm that Callie and Abby had been there until at least midnight. That's when the bartender remembered them leaving, escorted by two younger men. The club closed at 1 A.M. and the fire, according to the report, had started around 3.

By nine, Tim and Tony had footage that comprised a 360 degree view of the building. Time stamped, they began watching for groups of four leaving the club.

"They wouldn't leave willingly with someone they didn't know," Tim said to himself, scanning the footage.

"Of course not, McGee. They had to have been forced." Tony supplied.

"Or drugged," Gibbs added, pointing to an image that had suddenly appeared on the plasma.

In front of them, they saw a group of four, two women, dressed in seemingly identical black outfits, with two men, one wearing glasses. The three agents could tell that both women were being helped, as if ill or extremely drunk. They were ushered into a waiting, black panel van. As it pulled away, Tim was just able to get part of a license plate.

Knowing now what they were looking for, they watched as the van pulled onto the road, crossing in front of the ATM camera and Tim was soon able to pick up coverage on the traffic camera. He accessed several other cameras along the route and finally got a picture of the full license plate.

Returning to security footage of the club, they soon had confirmation of the two men that had taken the girls returning and setting the fire, this time in a different vehicle. Following the same route as before, McGee was also able to pull the information for that car, as well.

Tony accessed registration information on the two cars as Gibbs watched silently. Finally, he spoke, "Does this seem too easy to either of you?"

Tony, who had just gotten the detail of the second car looked up, "What do you mean, Boss? It's good detective work."

"Yeah, but it's just too easy," Gibbs answered, "They go to the trouble to get the girls out, apparently by some elaborate scheme, come back and burn the building but don't cover their tracks by removing a license plate from a car?" He shook his head, "Something's not right."

The 'something' became apparent shortly. As the two agents worked to obtain the identity of the vehicle owners, they were met by a barrage of business and shell corporations. One led to another and then another and none of the entities from Tony's search matched any of the entities in Tim's search. By 1pm, ten hours into the investigation, all they had were two cars and two unidentified men, as facial recognition software had been unable to get a match with any known database. All NCIS had been able to accomplish was a BOLO for the vehicles, the men and the girls.

Staring out the window near the squad room desks, Tony walked up behind the Boss. "I shouldn't have let them go, Gibbs. I just had a feeling."

Turning to face his friend, "I had the same feeling, DiNozzo, but I let them walk out, too." Putting a hand on his shoulder, Gibbs said, "Next time, we'll just handcuff them to the chair."

Tony smiled, "Agreed. Want to go back to the club?"

Gibbs returned the smile, "Reading my mind, DiNozzo? Maybe you are turning into me after all."

"Now, Boss, why'd you have to go and insult me like that?" Tony whined, grabbing his gear. Following the Boss, he called out, "Come on, Probie, we're going to take another look around."

McGee grabbed his things and ran to catch up with the two other men for one last look.


	6. Chapter 6

Callie was trying everything she could think of to keep her mind off the cramps that were now torturing her stomach. When Abby first started working on the antidote, she had tried to estimate the time. Judging by what she could see and what she could remember from the evening before, Harris figured their mystery guest had injected her somewhere around 11:00 AM. Roughly thirty minutes after the injection, Callie had developed chills and the fever had followed closely. Strung up as she was, when the cramps hit, Callie had no way to pull her body in to absorb the pain. She had been biting her lip to keep from crying out but this one caught her unprepared.

Abby looked up from the table as Callie cried out. "I thought you were supposed to tell me as your symptoms changed."

Callie smiled weakly, "I know. I just didn't want to interrupt your work."

"So you'd rather scare me to death with that groan," Abby tried to inject some of Callie's typical dark humor into the situation.

"Yeah, guess so," Callie answered, appreciating the effort.

"How do you figure the time?" Abby replied, running one last test on the serum.

"I would guess you've probably got around thirty to forty-five minutes left."

Abby nodded. She pulled the antidote from the centrifuge and grabbed a syringe. She loaded the hypo and walked towards her dying friend. Abby hesitated.

Callie looked at the lab tech and mustered another smile, "This is not going to sound right, Abby, but I would rather die from trying to be saved than die without trying at all."

Abby smiled back, "You're right. It doesn't sound right but I actually understand what you're saying." Taking a deep breath, she injected Callie, "So, here goes!"

Callie flinched at the shot. She had been fighting the illness for the last hour and a half and had finally used all of her reserves. She succumbed to the fatigue and Abby watched as Callie's body went limp.

At first, Abby was scared that they had misjudged the time. She watched as Callie continued to breathe. Her body seemed to shake less and she no longer felt the heat emanating from the agent's body. She watched Harris for another ten to fifteen minutes when she heard the door to the cell open.

She turned to see their captor enter, the malicious smile still in place.

"So, Miss Sciuto, were you successful?"

He felt Callie's body for fever and discovered nothing. Checking her pulse, he could feel it was weak but steady and her breathing was normal.

"Very good, Miss Scuito, you did not disappoint. I hope you remember everything you did." He warned.

"I do. It's all right here," she pointed towards her head.

"What? Not written down?"

"And give you a chance to get rid of me? I'm not stupid." Abby hissed.

He smiled again, "I never thought you were."

"You'll sing a different tune when Gibbs gets here," Abby threatened.

"I look forward to seeing your precious Special Agent Leh-roy Gibbs. In fact, I'm sorry he's not already here. But, we can wait no longer." He propelled her towards the door where another of his henchmen was waiting, "Leave, Miss Sciuto, unless you wish to watch another execution." And he pointed the gun at Callie's head.

"Stop!" Abby yelled.

Their captor turned at the fury in the young woman's voice, "You want something?" He asked smoothly.

"A bargain."

"I'm listening."

"You have no idea if what I make will really be the antidote. I could tell you it is and it might just be a recipe for sugar water."

He considered the girl, "Go on."

"I'll give you my full cooperation. No fighting, no biting, no hardship in exchange for Callie's life."

This was an unexpected conundrum. He had figured he would have to fight the young lab tech the entire way. He was prepared to drug her again, as he had last night, if the situation presented itself. She had correctly deduced that he wouldn't know if her serum was really an antidote to the potent virus that he had recently injected into the annoying Special Agent Callisto Harris. Here he could have one problem solved but it would leave a loose end – something he really hated.

"Your word?" He questioned.

"My word. My full and complete cooperation for Callie's life." Abby looked back at her friend. Had she seen Callie move?

The captor thought about it and then answered, "Agreed, Miss Scuito, your complete obedience for Agent Harris' life. But, just to be sure," He then turned and, with the butt of his gun, delivered another fierce blow to the back of Callie's head.

Abby watched as the agent's head snapped forward from the strike and she saw a small trickle of blood. If Callie had been awake, she certainly wasn't now.

"What do I call you?" Abby asked as he took her arm and started her forward again.

"Pieter will do for now," he laughed and locked the door behind him.


	7. Chapter 7

It was now 5pm and the guys had been working nonstop for fourteen hours. A re-canvass of the area around the bar had finally turned up the girls cell phones. They had looked for security cameras other than the ones the agents had already identified. Both their search and the cell phones revealed nothing new. They returned to the Navy Yard and tried again to research the companies that had shown up on the vehicle ownership information.

Gibbs had made a supper run for the two men who had worked tirelessly without complaint. They had all just about reached their limit. When Tony's phone rang, cutting the ominous silence, they all jumped.

Gathering his wits, Tony answered, "Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo." Gibbs and McGee watched as Tony's body language began to change subtly.

"Yes? Yes, that's correct," Tony replied to the voice on the other end of the line. He was quickly making notes and then looked up to pierce Gibbs with a grin. "Thank you very much, Officer Lindley. We'll take it from here."

He hung up the phone and was immediately surrounded by Gibbs and McGee, each armed and ready. He handed Gibbs the paper, "Got a hit on the BOLO for the black van. Warehouse district. Locals have secured the area but made no attempt to approach. They're waiting on us."

"Let's roll!" Gibbs called as they headed to the elevator on an almost dead run.

Thirty minutes later, they had made the warehouse. Thanking the Officer in Charge, Bryce Lindley, the three Federal agents approached the rear door cautiously. Gibbs gave Tony a nod and he kicked in the door to the darkened building. With lights and weapons drawn, they quickly and methodically searched the rooms.

"Clear!" McGee called.

Tony answered back, "Clear!"

"We've got one more door, down here." Gibbs called back. The two agents joined their leader quickly as Tony, again, took down the lock.

Once inside, each of their three lights illuminated something different. Gibbs saw the two bodies, still piled against the wall. McGee's light glinted off the different machines, beakers and vials still on the lab table at the back of the room. Tony's light found the very still, black-clad, redhead, chained to the ceiling. The men moved instantly. Gibbs and McGee went back outside, the younger agent to call Ducky and Palmer and get them moving to the warehouse. Gibbs grabbed blankets and bolt cutters and ran back to join his Senior Field Agent.

Tony had gone immediately to Callie. He could see the large, bloodied gash across the back of her head. He also noticed dried blood around the shackles where her body had hung, causing the metal to cut deeply. He felt for a pulse and breathed a sigh of relief as he realized his Red was still alive. Grabbing her around the waist, he lifted her slightly, taking the stress off of her injured arms and wrists. He was joined by Gibbs who quickly snapped the chains. He then dropped the tool and helped Tony lower the agent. McGee joined them, bringing a bottle of water which he now tossed to Tony.

As soon as the water touched her lips and face, Callie was in a fight. She could sense that she was no longer hanging but had no awareness of who was around her and whether or not the people holding her were friend or foe. Trying not to injure her further, but needing to communicate, Gibbs yelled the first thing he could think of that would penetrate Harris' foggy brain.

"Snap to, Petty Officer. That's an order."

Callie stopped instantly at the Drill Instructor's command. Blinking, she looked into the worried face of her boss and her boyfriend. Images came to Callie in rapid succession – the bar, the virus, Abby.

"Where's Abby?" She struggled to sit up and look around.

Tony held her tightly, restricting her movements. Whispering into her ear, "Nice and easy, Red. Understand?"

She glanced at him, not admonishing him for the use of the nickname, and nodded slightly. He helped her into a more upright position.

"She's not here," McGee spoke, bitterness in his tone.

"But?" Callie was confused, "Is it dark outside?"

She looked to Tony for confirmation, "Yeah, Callie. You and Abby have been gone almost 24 hours now."

"What time is it?" She asked, still searching to make sense of the situation.

"About nineteen hundred, Cal." Was Gibbs clipped reply.

She closed her eyes, willing the information to come back. Tony and Gibbs shared a look over her head.

"Hospital, Boss?" Tony asked.

He gave a quick nod only to watch as Callie was in full flight again, "No! No hospital." She reached across and grabbed Gibbs frantically, "Don't make me do that. Just let me go back to NCIS and Ducky can check me out."

Gibbs didn't like it but he could see the panic still in Callie's eyes. Something had happened here and the last thing she wanted was to be left alone. Taking both of her hands in his, Gibbs answered quietly, but firmly, "Okay, Harris. Back to NCIS. But, if Ducky says you're worse than what we think, there won't be anymore arguing. It's straight to the hospital."

"Yes, sir. Thank you, sir." Callie's military response so ingrained in her being, she did it without thinking.

Tony helped her stand and continued to support her frame. He reached for the bindings only to have Callie stop him.

"They're evidence, DiNozzo. Get gloves."

Gibbs smiled. She might be addled but she was still a field agent, first and foremost. Tony gloved up and then worked to remove the shackles, bagging them as evidence. He then led her back to the car, where he secured her in the front seat. An hour later, they were back at NCIS.


	8. Chapter 8

Callie was in the morgue. She could laugh, almost, realizing that had Abby not saved her, this still would have been her destination. After a quick shower, she had changed into jeans and one of Tony's old t-shirts that she kept for emergencies.

When he picked up her clothes to check for trace, he commented, "I was wondering where that shirt went."

"Yeah, I kind of liked it. Especially the long sleeves." Callie replied quietly.

Tony grabbed the oversized shirt, pulling the agent towards him. He leaned down and kissed her solidly. Releasing her, he paused by her ear and whispered, "You scared me, Harris. Don't ever fucking do it again."

She nodded, not trusting herself to speak. He pointed her towards the morgue and, with a swat to the backside, left to take the clothes to the temp tech.

Callie sat still as Ducky sutured the split at the back of her head and then medicated and bandaged her wrists. He had noticed the track marks from the needles and replied, "I think it would be wise if we drew blood for toxicology."

Callie agreed and the Doctor continued, "Mr. Palmer, please hold Agent Harris' shoulders. She sometimes has a tendency to pass out when giving blood."

Callie smiled, "I'm flattered that you remember, Doctor."

"How could I forget? The first time you had to give blood, you passed out and hit your head on the examining table on the way down. Those are things you remember!" His speech was dramatic as he wrapped the tourniquet around Callie's arm and skillfully inserted the needle.

Callie turned her head away from the procedure.

"All done, Agent Harris," was Palmer's response, "You've got another small knot back here on your head. Did you realize that?"

"You do?" Doctor Mallard asked, a penetrating stare into Callie's eyes.

"You do?" Gibbs echoed as he and Tony joined the others in the morgue.

"Yes, I realized that, Mr. Palmer. Thanks ever so much." Callie's voice dripped sarcasm.

"Concussion, Duck?" Gibbs asked, taking Palmer's place behind Callie and running his hand up, gently, through her hair. He felt the knot instantly. She resisted the urge to pull away, knowing she wouldn't get far with Ducky and Tony blocking the escape and Gibbs firm grip on her shoulder holding her in place.

"Not that I can tell, Jethro. She's responsive, knows her name, her whereabouts. Just a pretty nasty headache, I'd wager." Ducky smiled at Callie, handing her two aspirin and a bottle of water as he completed the diagnosis.

Callie smiled gratefully and took the offered medication. Satisfied with the M.E.'s announcement, Gibbs ruffled Callie's red hair so that it stood straight up and then walked around to face her.

"So, give me the details, Harris."

Callie related their experiences at the bar. The two men, who were now on Ducky's tables, were the same ones that NCIS already had on video taking the girls out of the bar. As she explained what happened in the cell, she watched the body language of both agents. Callie knew Gibbs was angry. She knew Tony's temper was right below the surface as well.

"I've got the blood samples right here, ready to go up to Ab…" Doctor Mallard caught slip, "to Carla, the temp tech."

"DiNozzo, take them up, would ya?" Gibbs asked/ordered.

Tony was surprised at the request, "Me, Boss, but…"

Gibbs looked at the other agent.

"Sure, Boss." He took the samples from Ducky and spared a glance for Callie. She refused to make eye contact as he left the room.

"Mr. Palmer, let's you and I go back to the truck and make sure we're ready for the next trip out. Our other guests aren't going anywhere anytime soon." Jimmy nodded and followed Doctor Mallard out of the morgue, leaving Gibbs and Harris alone.

"You sure know how to clear a room, Gibbs." Callie deadpanned, attempting to slide down from the table.

Gibbs stepped up into her personal space, preventing the exit. "What aren't you telling me?"

"I don't know what you mean," Callie dodged.

He cocked his head and gave her a knowing smile, "Come on, Red. We both know you're holding out on me."

"Gibbs."

"Enough, Cal. What do you think?"

"Real pro, Gibbs. Eastern European. Well financed. Acted like he knew exactly what he was looking for; although I don't know how."

"And those two?" He pointed to the corpses.

"Flunkies. They didn't follow his orders to the letter and they paid the price."

"Know what those orders were?"

"Yeah," Callie looked into her superior's gaze, "They were to take Abby only."

Gibbs straightened, surprised at the news.

"Yeah, makes no sense to me, either."

"And the lab experiment he performed on you?" Gibbs prompted.

Callie shook her head gingerly, the motion making her slightly queasy. "I don't know why. I could guess but I'd really rather not."

"Okay, one last question."

"Yeah, you want me to ask it?" Callie responded. As he nodded, Callie supplied, "How come I'm not like them?"

Gibbs waited for the answer, too.

"Hell if I know, L.J. I've been trying to figure that one out ever since I realized I was with all of you and alive to talk about it. This guy doesn't leave loose ends."

"How much of a head start does he have, Callie?"

Callie shrugged, "What time is it now?"

Gibbs looked at his watch and replied, "Twenty-two hundred."

"I'm guessing eight hours."

Gibbs swore under his breath. "Okay, you're going back to the apartment. I'll have…"

"Like hell I am. Abby's missing. You guys have been on this for close to 24 hours straight. No way am I leaving you short. I can handle it."

Callie pushed Gibbs out of the way as she slid off the table. She knew he gave her the space to do it. In her condition, she couldn't have moved him otherwise. He smiled. "Fine, but your on a desk. And don't move unless I tell you to. Figure out who this son of a bitch is, Callie."

"I'll get the software and see what I can come up with." Callie headed for the door only to be stopped as Gibbs grabbed a handful of t-shirt.

"Any headache, nausea, discomfort, you don't lie to me. You tell me, got it?"

Callie smiled at the true concern and care she saw, "Got it, L.J."

He nodded and let her go. Callie had work to do.


	9. Chapter 9

Using the facial reconstruction software from Abby's computer, Callie quickly came up with a sketch of their captor. Once she had the picture, it was immediately processed through the facial recognition database. She was waiting on the results when McGee showed up in the bullpen. He sat down at his desk, barely sparing a glance at his fellow agent and partner. Callie watched from lowered lashes as Tim struggled to work. Finally, he flew up from his desk and was in front of Callie. With an accusing tone and glare, he lashed out.

"How could you?"

Callie was shocked, "How could I what, Tim?"

"How could you let her be taken, Callie? She's not a field agent, like you. She's not military trained with weapons or self defense. She's a lab rat."

Tony and Gibbs were returning from the lab where Carla Johansson, the temp tech, had already made good progress on processing the evidence. While she was still waiting on results from several tests, she had been able to identify fingerprints giving identities to the men on Ducky's slab. She had run them for priors but found nothing. However, like Callie had guessed, they were Eastern European, having entered the country on student visas. Both men stopped as they heard Tim McGee's voice raised in anger.

He continued to berate Callie, "She trusted you to take care of her, Agent Harris. We all did." He motioned to the plasma where Callie's likeness of their captor was displayed, "And you just let whomever this guy is waltz in and take her."

Callie wanted to interrupt him and defend herself but she couldn't. Tim was saying the things that Callie had been saying to herself since she had gotten back to her desk. She had replayed the scenario a hundred times, wishing she had done things differently. However, it wouldn't change the fact that she, Special Agent Callie Harris, had let some deranged terrorist escape with their beloved Abby.

"If anything happens to her, Callie, I'll hold you personally responsible." And with that final nail, Tim turned on his heel and left the bullpen.

Tony immediately turned to follow the Probie but Gibbs stayed him, "Go to Callie," he ordered.

"I would rather go after McGee," Tony replied menacingly.

Gibbs smiled, "I know. That's why you're going to Callie."

Tony hesitated, thinking to disobey the Boss just this one time but a growled, "DiNozzo" ended that thought.

So following orders, Tony rounded the bullpen and went straight to his desk. Callie followed him with her eyes but said nothing.

Once Tony was seated behind his desk, he established the visual connection between him and Harris. He patted his lap and then opened his arms. Callie was on him in nothing flat, her head buried in his neck. He wrapped her up tightly and let her cry.

Tony whispered, "He's just worried. He cares for Abby even more than he realizes."

Callie leaned up from Tony. He handed her a Kleenex to wipe her face and nose.

DiNozzo continued, "I think he's angrier that you've made him confront his feelings for her than he is about her missing."

Gibbs rounded the corner and stared at the seating arrangement of his two agents. He cleared his throat and Callie looked up guiltily. "I had something in my eye and Agent DiNozzo was helping me get it out."

He shook his head and sat behind his desk, replying as he did so, "Yeah, right. One person to a chair, please?"

Callie smiled as DiNozzo pushed her up from his lap. As she started to sit down, the computer registered a match to Callie's drawing.

"We've got something," Callie answered, quickly pulling the information up on the screen.

DiNozzo read, "Pieter Voslova."

"Well, at least we have a name," Callie answered, "Suspected International Arms Dealer; rumored to be trading in biological weapons."

"I think we can change that to confirmed, can't we?" DiNozzo looked over his shoulder at Callie.

"DiNozzo, read down," Gibbs ordered, dread in his tone.

"Is that man destined to haunt me my entire life, Boss?" DiNozzo turned an exasperated face to his leader.

"Who?" Callie asked, confused.

Using the pointer, Tony highlighted the name, La Grenouille.

"My French is not what it was. Is that frog?" Callie asked, looking to Gibbs.

"Uh huh. An old friend of Tony's. Says our new mystery man is his likely successor."

"And that's bad?" Callie asked, still confused.

"Very," was Tony's reply.

Before she could question further, Callie's phone rang.

"Agent Harris." She replied. "Yes, that's correct. You do? How long ago? Good. And when can we get the tape?" She motioned frantically to the two agents as she replied, "Five to ten minutes. Excellent. Thank you. Thank you very much."

She slammed down the phone and began punching information in the computer. As she did, Callie spoke hurriedly.

"That was a Customs Agent on the Canadian border. A woman matching Abby's description just crossed into the country. When they tried to question her, she informed them that they had made a mistake. She was not the person they were looking for."

Bells were going off in Gibbs head at that statement. He was beginning to get an idea as to why Callie was still among the living.

"However, after she left, they pulled the security tapes and noticed something very unusual." Callie continued.

As she spoke, McGee had rejoined their group. He still refused to make eye contact with Callie and instead focused on the images she was transferring to the plasma. Finally, the security tape popped up and they could see Abby and Voslova going through the Customs check points. The team watched as Abby was pulled aside and questioned, fervently shaking her head in denial. The Customs Agent finally let her pass where Voslova quickly grabbed her and ushered her out of the building. The entire time Abby was in the building, she kept her left hand down to her side, and it was constantly in motion.

"What's that look like to you?" Callie asked a smile in her voice.

"I believe that our little Goth is signing," Tony replied, "Wonder who that was meant for?"

"Zoom in," Gibbs ordered, walking closer to the plasma.

Callie pulled the focus just to Abby's hand.

"Can you slow it down?" Gibbs asked again, grabbing a pen and a piece of paper.

Callie slowed the speed and kept the frame focused. Gibbs wrote the letters down as Abby feverishly signed them.

"Got it! He's taking her to Montreal," Gibbs turned.

McGee quickly logged in to his computer.

"But where?" Callie voiced the query.

Tony mused, "If Voslova is the heir-apparent to Benoit, try locating any properties around Montreal that he owned. After all, Canada was our first run in with him."

"Here it is. Pieter-Benoit Holdings has real estate a couple of hours outside Montreal in Baie-Comeau." McGee joined, "Tony wasn't that one of your shell companies?"

Tony pulled his list from their automobile search, "Bingo! We've got him."

"Here's the address," McGee grabbed the paper from the printer and grabbed his gear. Tony had already grabbed his as well. Callie stood behind her desk, waiting for the men to pass so she could fall in behind. Gibbs stopped her.

"Sit this one out, Harris," Gibbs leaned across the desk.

"But, Gibbs?" Callie contradicted, the hurt evident in her voice.

"Let the men handle it. You hold down the fort."

Callie slowly lowered herself back into her chair and watched as Gibbs hurried around the corner to the waiting elevator. She heard Gibbs answer an unspoken question, "Just us this time."

And the elevator doors dinged closed.


	10. Chapter 10

Callie had changed clothes for the second time in less than six hours. Now she was in her workout togs of Capri sweats, sports bra and tank top. She didn't take the time to put on shoes so she was barefoot on the mat. It was 2 am Sunday morning. The guys had been working the case, non-stop, for close to 24 hours. At least now, on the plane to Canada, they would get a couple of hours sleep. Callie was still chaffing under Gibbs' order to remain behind. So, she had ventured down to the gym and here she was, in the wee hours of the morning, beating the hell out of the punching bag. She was just taking a breather.

"Weren't your orders to remain at your desk?" The rich Scots burr of Doctor Mallard echoed across the empty gym.

Jumping guiltily at the sound of the voice, she peeked around the bag and smiled, "Does he tell you everything?"

"Only those things that he expects to be followed and knows probably won't be. Is it helping?"

Callie shrugged and walked toward the medical examiner, "It certainly worked out the stiffness in my arms. My head? Not so much."

The Doctor chuckled and then motioned for Callie to join him. He handed her a towel and a bottle of water as she sat down next to him. He then held out two more aspirin.

"No, thanks, Ducky. I'm okay."

"If that were true, Callie, you wouldn't be down here. Out with it, my girl."

"I don't know. Some things just don't make sense. I thought if I could get away from my desk, I could get away from the problem and maybe see it more clearly."

Doctor Mallard nodded approvingly, "Did it work?"

Callie shrugged again, "Maybe. I've got three questions that keep repeating. If I could answer those, I might get a handle on the situation."

He leaned in conspiratorially, "I'm a very good listener, Agent Harris."

Callie smiled back, "I know, Doctor Mallard. Okay, so here goes. Why does this guy kidnap Abby? She's a lab tech for a lesser known government agency. She's not really a high profile target."

"Mm…hm." Was the doctor's reply.

"Second, why am I still alive? This is a guy that plays for keeps. He doesn't do anything in half-measure. The lab in that warehouse is a good example. It may not have been state of the art equipment but it was still sufficient for Abby to formulate an antidote to his serum."

The doctor nodded as Callie continued, "And, finally, why allow Abby to formulate an antidote anyway? He's ultimately going to want me dead so why not just let me die?"

The doctor thought quietly as Callie took another drink of water, "Alright, Callie, let's answer these questions in reverse order. Why allow Abby to formulate an antidote when he ultimately wants you dead?"

"Because, in order to be sure that she's developing a true formula, he's got to give her something that makes it worthwhile. Someone she doesn't know, she may be tempted to help because it's the right thing to do, but when it's a person she's obviously close to…"

"It gives her more of an impetus to work," the doctor finished, "Besides, if she fails to come up with the antidote, you die, and that solves his problem. If she does come up with the antidote, Abby's everything he believes her to be."

"So, why am I alive?"

The Doctor looked at Callie over his glasses, "You know the answer to that one; you just don't want to admit it."

Callie looked down at her bare feet and sighed, "Yeah, she made a deal with the devil, didn't she, Doctor?"

"Your life for her obedience, I'd say, judging by that Customs tape. But," he pulled Callie's chin up gently, forcing her to look at him, "if she didn't want to do it, Callie, she wouldn't have."

"Doesn't mean I have to like it."

Again, the medical examiner chuckled, "Very true. Now, for your last query. While Abby is not a high value asset as you put it, she is a published scientist. She does have a reputation."

"But not necessarily the kind that draws international arms dealers to your door, Ducky." Callie stood and stretched, trying to limber the muscles that had tightened up while she cooled down. "No, there's some other reason that I'm missing altogether. I can just feel it."

The Doctor stood up next to Callie, "Well, if anyone can figure it out, it's you, Special Agent Harris." And he patted her triumphantly on the back.

Callie paused in her stride to leave and then turned back to the Doctor, "What did you call me?"

"By your full title, Special Agent Harris." Doctor Mallard watched Callie's face. He knew the minute the puzzle pieces fell into place. He smiled. "You've got it?"

She hugged the doctor, "Maybe, Ducky, just maybe." And kissing the older man on the cheek, she finished, "You are a prince among men."

And Callie left the gym on a dead run. Ducky smiled at her departing form, "Yes, my dear, I know."

* * *

Callie hadn't bothered to change or put on shoes to make her run to the lab. She was calling for the temp tech, Carla Johansson, the minute she exited the elevator.

"Carla!"

"Hey, Callie!" The older lady came out of Abby's office, smiling, "I haven't had a chance to talk to you yet. I just wanted to thank you for your help with getting this position."

"Oh, yeah, well, Carla, you were the best person for the job," Callie replied, "I was happy to do the recommendation."

"Well, thanks, and I'm sorry we have to work under these conditions. Abby's such a super person. So, what's up?"

Finally catching her breath, she asked, "Where are the shackles that I was held in?"

Carla quirked an eyebrow at Callie but turned to the boxes of evidence and pulled out the manacles. "Right here. Why"

Callie took the bag and ripped it open to the temp tech's dismay. Trying to grab the bag back, Carla asked, "What are you looking for, Harris?"

"Fingerprints, Carla. Did it get fingerprinted?"

Looking at the agent as if she were daft, Carla replied, "Of course, it was. There wasn't anything."

Grabbing a pair of latex gloves, Callie replied, "No," and pulling the cuffs out, she finished, "I mean the insides." And Harris opened the cuff to reveal no fingerprint powder on the inside.

Carla smiled broadly, "Apparently not. I guess no one thought of that. How did…"

"I suddenly remembered he had grabbed me by the cuffs when he injected the virus." Callie returned the smile.

The temp grabbed the evidence and started checking for prints. She smiled as she found two viable samples. Printing the card, Johansson scanned it in to begin a search.

"I need you to check a couple of really random data bases, Carla. The CIA/FBI sites, focusing on old Iron Block nations – all types of perps, alive or dead."

Carla spun around to look at the agent, "Dead ones, too?"

Callie smiled, "Uh huh. Because sometimes, they're not as dead as you think."

Quirking a brow, she replied, "Okay."

Callie left the tech to her work and went to shower and change back into her t-shirt, blue jeans and boots. She stopped in the medical examiner's office before going back to the lab. Ducky had finally left but Mr. Palmer was still around. He did a quick bandage job on Callie's wrists and knuckles that she had managed to bloody from the punching bag. He also had her new phone which he gave her before sending her on her way.

She entered the lab just as the computer signaled results.

"Wow! Your timing is excellent." Carla replied, hitting the button to reveal the final report.

Callie saw the image flash on the screen and immediately smiled. "Okay, Carla, print it out and then erase the search from your computer."

"What?" Again, Carla questioned the agent's instructions.

Callie took the printed results and turned back to the new scientist, "Those results are going to create some furor. People will come looking for you and, ultimately, me, if you don't erase that search. Give me the fingerprint card and go lock those shackles in evidence right now."

Carla could tell, from the tone of Harris' voice, that this was serious, "Okay. Am I in trouble?"

Callie shook her head, "No, but don't wait. Do it all right now. And if anyone and I mean _anyone_ asks you about this, you know nothing. If you can't lie, then tell them you were following my orders. Do not take responsibility in any way. Do you understand?"

Carla nodded, "Alright, Agent Harris. I'm on it."

Callie nodded and left the lab. Stopping at the door, she turned back, "Carla, thank you. You may have just helped me uncover the key to getting Abby back."

The tech smiled, "That's what we want!" And she returned to boxing up the evidence as Callie had ordered.

It was now 4 am. The guys would just be landing in Montreal and they still had nearly a two hour drive to Baie-Comeau. Hopefully, Abby would be there but Callie didn't think they were going to be that lucky. With the information she now had, her question as to why Abby was targeted was answered. However, there were now more inconsistencies that would have to be corrected before she would have the final picture to present to Gibbs. And, there was only one person that she knew of who could give her those answers. Abby had made her deal with the devil to spare Callie's life. It was now Callie's turn to return the favor.


	11. Chapter 11

The guys were wheels up out of Andrews and on their way to Montreal by 2:30 AM. Tim and Tony were asleep, it seemed, before the plane even took off. Gibbs couldn't blame them. They'd been working without a break for close to 24 hours. They needed the rest and the two hour flight would give them that.

He knew Callie had been devastated that she'd been left behind. Gibbs wasn't completely sure why he had made that call. Part of him knew that Callie really wasn't a 100 percent. She needed an opportunity to rest and get better but, deep down, he knew she wouldn't do what was needed. A part of him wanted the separation between her and McGee. Gibbs had been taken aback by the Agent's attack on Harris. He had wanted to stop Tim but knew he needed a chance to vent. Callie could take it. He knew that about her. And, if Gibbs were truly honest with himself, he would admit that McGee had put a voice to thoughts he himself had. Callie should have protected Abby better but Gibbs knew, realistically, the Field Agent had done everything she humanly could. The fact that Abby was alive gave credence to that.

The main reason, he argued with himself, that he had left Callie behind was that she would continue to work Abby's abduction. Hopefully, this trip to Montreal would get them their favorite Goth back but Gibbs wasn't counting on it. Callie was one of the best he'd ever known at getting intel, developing strategy and formulating plans. Harris was his ace in the hole. That, coupled with the fact that she felt guilty enough about losing Abby, would mean she wouldn't rest until she knew exactly where the lab tech was.

Gibbs didn't remember falling asleep. He jumped when his senior field agent touched his shoulder, "We're here, Boss."

Scrubbing his face with his hands, Gibbs stood and stretched. It was still dark outside as they deplaned.

A tall man in uniform approached the group, "Agent Gibbs?" he asked.

Gibbs flashed his badge, "That's me."

"I'm Captain Normand Lalonde of Surete du Quebec. I'm here to assist you."

Tony asked, "Surety do what? Where are the Mounties?"

The Captain smiled, "Loosely translated, it means Quebec Security. In this province, we are the equivalent of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police."

"Very well, Captain. How do you want to handle this?"

"I am comfortable with your taking the lead, to a point, Agent Gibbs. If it was one of my people, I wouldn't like the locals telling me how to run my investigation. If your lab tech's at the site, it'll be all yours. If she's not, we'll take the lead and give you 100% access."

Gibbs shook his head, "That's more than fair, Captain. You have my thanks."

"Don't mention it. You may have to return the favor someday." He turned and motioned behind him. "We have an official car for your use. It'll be daylight in another fifteen minutes. If you'll just follow that van?" And he pointed to a plain, white panel van, parked next to the dark sedan.

Through the open side door, Gibbs could see about another 7 or 8 officers talking and drinking coffee. He turned back to Captain Lalonde, "How long's our drive?"

"About another hour to hour and a half. We'll go with sirens until we reach Baie-Comeau and then we'll go quiet the rest of the way to the cabin."

"Let's move." And Gibbs led his agents to the vehicle. Tony took the wheel and they were off to, hopefully, rescue Abby.

During this investigation, time had not proven to be their ally. It was still the case. They had reached the cabin outside Baie-Comeau around 7 am. By 8, they knew Abby and Voslova had been there but were already gone again.

True to his word, Captain Lalonde had allowed the American agents to take the point. With Tony at the back and Tim and Gibbs at the front, the Canadians had circled the perimeter and followed the lead of NCIS. Entering the cabin, they found two more of Voslova's men dead. They had been executed in the same manner as the ones back in the warehouse in D.C. The one piece of good news they had was this: Tim had found one of Abby's spike bracelets stuck in a table. It had been hidden in such a way that it wasn't obvious on the first glance. McGee had recognized it instantly. At least they knew they were on the right track.

Captain Lalonde joined the older agent, "My medical examiner estimates they've been dead around two hours, probably just about the time you landed in Montreal."

Gibbs nodded, "Captain, if you'll send your information to my agency, I would appreciate it. Also, I believe you'll find the ballistics from those men will match what we found at our crime scene."

"Very well. We'll send our results to your lab for comparison. You'll have my reports as soon as possible, Agent Gibbs. I'm sorry we weren't able to get here quicker."

Gibbs thanked the officer and joined his two agents.

"How does he know, Boss? How is he able to stay ahead of us like this?" McGee asked in frustration.

Tony answered for Gibbs, "Tim, he's got a huge lead on us time wise. But, we're obviously getting closer."

"Yeah, but where now? Where's he taken her?" McGee continued.

Again, Tony answered for Gibbs, "With a little luck, Callie will that have information for us."

McGee rounded on his partner and spat, "Callie? It was your _precious_ Callie that got Abby in this mess in the first place. If she'd done her job right, we wouldn't be here."

Gibbs slapped McGee in the back of the head, "That's enough, McGee. You're seriously underestimating Abby. She's alive and leaving us bread crumbs. Whatever bargain she made for Callie's life has insured her own as well. Abby's smart. If she senses she's in danger, she will come up with someway to protect herself. In the mean time, we'll figure out where this asshole's taken her. Callie's the best person for that job."

"But, Boss…"

Gibbs cut McGee off by stepping into his personal space, "McGee! If Abby hadn't done what she did we would have already found her. It would have been four bodies in that warehouse, all dead. Do you understand?"

Tim blinked as the realization dawned. By saving Callie, Abby had preserved herself. "Yes, Boss. It won't happen again."

Gibbs nodded, "Go give Captain Lalonde all the contact information."

"On it, Boss," McGee responded and hurried off.

Tony had been standing to the side listening to the exchange. Gibbs finally turned on him, "Get Callie on the phone."

"Uh, Boss?"

"What?"

"I've already tried three times. Once when we landed in Montreal and twice since we've been here." DiNozzo explained.

"Call the office."

"I did. Ducky hasn't seen her since around two this morning. She's definitely got her new phone because Palmer gave that to her."

Gibbs took a frustrated breath, "Her apartment?"

"Yeah. And mine, too. I've tried email, instant messaging, everything. She's not responding."

"So help me, when I get these two back to NCIS, I'm putting prisoner tracking devices on both of them. I've had it."

Tony wanted to smile but he knew better.

"Okay," Gibbs continued, "Get McGee. I've got us a couple of rooms in Montreal. We'll catch a few hours rest and, by that time, Special Agent Harris better have checked in or she'll be looking for a new job."

Tony nodded and went to fetch McGee. Gibbs pulled out his own cell and quickly dialed Callie's number. Just like Tony, it went straight to voice mail. She better have a damn good explanation was Gibbs thought as he slammed the phone shut and went to join the other two agents for the drive back.


	12. Chapter 12

It was now 9 am Sunday morning. Callie was waiting at a table in a local restaurant that featured a fantastic brunch. She had gone home to change and grab extra clothes. Her new phone that Palmer had given her when he bandaged her hands had already rung four or five times. Harris didn't check the caller i.d. She didn't want to know and she didn't want to answer questions just yet.

She saw the woman the minute she entered the restaurant. Anastasia Chevnokoff was a five foot, seven inch ice queen. She had blonde hair, blue eyes and was built. Callie had never been anywhere that the men's heads didn't turn when Anastasia entered a room. This morning was no different. Dressed in a dark pant suit that accentuated her fair complexion and curves, she joined Callie in the booth in the back of the establishment.

"Well, Anastasia, I must say, I'm surprised you agreed to come," Callie said as the Russian slid gracefully into her seat.

"And, I must say, Callista, I was surprised to receive your call this morning." The Russian's voice was deep and still held a slight, lilting accent. "So, what is it you want?"

That was Anastasia – cut to the chase. "Information, Nastia. I need information."

Anastasia Chevnokoff had been a CIA operative when Callie worked undercover with Gibbs and Jenny. She had been instrumental in securing very reliable, highly classified information that had gone a long way in keeping the balance of power behind the Iron Curtain. Although no longer a field agent, she still maintained a finger on the pulse of the old Soviet nations. If anyone had the intel, it was Nastia.

"What, exactly, are you looking for?"

Callie handed her the picture of Voslova. "Know him?"

She examined the photo carefully, her face remaining neutral. Callie knew she was trying to figure out exactly how much to reveal. "His name is Pieter Voslova. He is an arms dealer, favors biological weapons over traditional armament." This was information Harris already knew. Nastia was playing it close to the vest or so Callie thought, until the Russian added, "Of course, he also now controls the vast majority of the market formerly held by La Grenouille. But you would know that since it was your agency that took him out of competition."

This morning, after she got back to her apartment, Callie had taken the time to find the information on Rene Benoit. It had taken considerable hacking into some priority databases and classified sites but she had been able to get the story. She knew Tony had been deep undercover with the Frog's daughter, mostly without real backup. Gibbs had not known the complete extent of his involvement until he thought Tony was dead. For Callie, the shock had been to discover that it was Jenny Sheppard, a woman who had served as a role model that had been the driving force. The obsession with the man had almost resulted in her removal as Director. She had definitely been in the FBI's crosshairs as the person who had killed The Frog.

Now, here was Nastia, reciting the party line on the incident. Harris smiled as she replied, "Is that how we're going to play, Nastia?"

The agent shifted in her chair as Callie continued, "We both know that it was the CIA's own Trent Kort who confessed to taking out Benoit. So, if anyone opened the door for Voslova, it was you."

Harris waited. If she pushed too hard, the CIA agent would leave. Callie had to reel out just the right amount of line and use just the right amount of bait. The Russian finally broke the silence, "Is there something else?"

Callie smiled and slipped another picture from her folder. "So, Nastia, I know you know this one."

She looked at the picture and threw it on the table as if it burned her hands, "Why do you ask about a ghost, Callia? You know this man as well as I do, if not better. It's Igor Petrovsky."

"A ghost, Nastia? How would you know that?"

"Because the Agency reported him dead over three years ago. But, you know this, too." She twisted in her seat again, "This is a waste of time, Harris. If you wanted a stroll down memory lane, why not simply talk to your boss? I know you are working with Gibbs again."

Callie leaned in across the table and removed the last piece of documentation from her folder. "If he's a ghost, Nasty, how did his fingerprint wind up in my crime scene?" And she threw the printout at the CIA agent.

Nastia flinched and then recovered but not before Callie saw it. She had her and would now be able to unlock Pandora's box.

"When?" was the simple question.

"Yesterday."

"He was here? In Washington, D.C.? Why?"

"My questions, first, Nasty. How is this S.O.B. not dead? Weren't you the one responsible for taking him out?"

The agent shook her head. Damn, this American. She had forgotten, when she had agreed to meet Callie Harris, what a deviously deceptive agent she was. Harris had worked side by side with Leroy Jethro Gibbs and Jenny Shepherd. And while Jenny had, so it was rumored, left loose ends from her time undercover that came back to haunt her, Gibbs had not. Nastia had seen Gibbs interrogate spies. He was one of the best. Harris had learned a few of his more underhanded tactics.

"I was, yes. And I fired the shot to the face that killed him." Nastia defended herself.

Callie smiled, "Well, let me tell you, Nasty, he walks, talks, breathes and thinks. He's one hell of a zombie if you really killed him."

"I do not have to take this." The Russian started to leave the table.

"Yes, you do." Callie grabbed her wrist, staying her escape. "You screwed up and I'm offering you a way to fix it."

Ice blue eyes locked with fiery green ones. Callie held her breath until the Russian dropped back down in her seat.

"Go on."

"Did you know?"

"We suspected. Petrovsky was killed, supposedly," she added before Callie could correct her, "three years ago. Voslova showed up six months later. Our intel indicated he had contacts and resources that tied him back to Igor. It seemed suspicious but then, after Benoit's death, Voslova picked up those contacts so the CIA figured we had a new, more powerful player."

"What made you doubt Petrovsky was dead?" Callie pushed.

"Voslova had access to all Petrovsky's money and property. We found deeds and legal documents showing the transfer. Our handwriting analysts felt they were too similar but couldn't discount that maybe Voslova had been a relative." The CIA agent took a drink of water before continuing, "You know how these types are, Callia. They have family all over, most never with the same name to avoid connection or extortion."

Callie nodded and then supplied, "Voslova kidnapped our lab tech, Abigail Sciuto and another female agent Friday night. Long story short, the agent was recovered but not Sciuto. Knowing the history between the two, I think he targeted the women specifically to get Gibbs."

Nastia shrugged, "Was the agent a redhead?"

Callie nodded, hoping Nasty wouldn't make the leap. "How did you get away, then?"

"That's not important."

"He knew you. Gibbs was the target. Petrovsky was convinced that it was the three of you, including Jenny that provided the information to the CIA that eventually got him discovered and, ultimately, shot. If he thinks he can draw Gibbs and you out, in order to get revenge, he will. Sciuto is the bait."

Callie nodded as Nastia continued, "He will keep her alive, use her skills, until he has the two of you. Then, he will kill her."

"You know what I want, Nasty." Callie leveled her glance to the Russian's.

She dodged Callie's comment by explaining, "You're alive, Callia, because it suits Petrovsky's purposes. He knows what you and Gibbs will do. Most people in the community know how tight your team is. If you pursue him," she snorted, "he won't make the same mistake twice. You'll be dead the next time he sees you."

Callie shook her head and replied quietly, "Not if I kill him first, Nastia."

Anastasia finally drew the folder out of her bag. Callie wasn't surprised. Chevnokoff had lived this long because she knew her business, including her adversaries. The CIA agent had to have known that Petrovsky would come back. She passed the dossier to Harris. But, before she released it, she said, "The Agency wants to question Voslova. They believe he has Al Qaeda operatives now, too."

"But there's a standing kill order on Petrovsky," Callie countered.

"He's already dead." Nastia released the folder. "and if you take out Voslova, before we question him, you know what that means."

Callie took a deep breath, "I've played the game before, Nasty. I know exactly what it means." Callie stood up from the table, "If I can get Voslova without killing Petrovsky, you can have him. But," she leaned down close to the agent's ear and whispered, "I wouldn't count on that possibility."

Callie straightened back up and left the table. The Russian agent could do nothing but stare at Harris' departing figure.


	13. Chapter 13

Callie was on a transport to Montreal by 10:30 am. She would be in Canada by noon. She had avoided Ducky and finally turned her cell phone off after the eighth or ninth time it had rang. As she closed her eyes to rest on the flight, she smiled at the thought of her conversation with the Director.

She had left the restaurant and returned immediately to NCIS. She was surprised to find Vance in the building. She gave him a quick update and then said, "I've already made arrangements to be on a flight in half an hour. I'll be in Montreal by noon."

"Why are you telling me that?" Vance questioned.

"Just figured you'd want to know the whereabouts of your agents."

"You don't normally answer to me, Agent Harris. And I'm guessing there was a reason you weren't on the flight out originally. What were your orders from Gibbs?"

She looked down at her desk as she replied, "Sit this one out."

Vance quirked an eyebrow and smiled, "Well, Agent Harris, you do what you think you need to do. If it's the wrong thing I have no doubt Jethro will take you to task."

"Understood, sir."

He started to leave her desk but then turned back, "I miss the loud music coming out of the lab, Agent Harris."

She looked up into his smiling eyes. Returning the smile, Callie answered again, "Understood, sir." And grabbed her already packed bag and ran for the elevator.

Once in Montreal, Callie had quickly been able to locate the hotel the agents had booked. Flashing her badge at the front desk, the clerk gave her a key to Gibbs room and she immediately made her way. Opening the door, Harris could hear water running in the bathroom. Making herself comfortable, the fatigue and stress finally catching up with her, Callie closed her eyes for just a quick second.

* * *

The guys had gotten back to the hotel around 10:30am Sunday morning. Totally exhausted, they fell into bed for some quick shut-eye. Gibbs heard the knock on the door adjoining their rooms around noon.

"Boss? You up?" It was DiNozzo.

"Yeah. What?" Gibbs answered from the bed.

"McGee and me, we're starving. You want something?"

Gibbs couldn't remember their last good meal. "Yeah, sounds good." And he threw the car keys at his senior field agent.

"Any requests?" Tony asked.

"No pizza or Chinese. Otherwise, I'm open."

Tony nodded, "Be back soon," and he closed the door.

Gibbs got up and headed for the shower. Quickly cleaning up and changing, he had been brushing his teeth when he heard the main door to his hotel room open and close. Leaving the water running, he quickly removed his backup weapon from his jeans and quietly cracked the bathroom door. He could just make out a petite redhead stretched out in the big chair in the bedroom.

The entire drive back from Baie-Comeau, Gibbs had been planning how he would deal with Callie. To have her, in the flesh, in his room was beyond his expectations. He moved to stand beside her. He could just see her cell phone in her jacket pocket. Gibbs slipped it out and then put the muzzle of the gun against the Agent's head.

Callie's eyes flew open immediately when she felt the cold steel against her temple. She looked up into hard, blue eyes and swallowed.

"Anyone but me and you'd be dead." Was all Gibbs said. He lowered the weapon and went to turn off the running water in the bathroom.

Callie sat up, blowing out a breath as she did. She watched the Special Agent in Charge return to the bedroom and drop into a chair behind the table.

"Does 'sit this one out' have a different meaning to you than it does to me?" Gibbs asked.

Callie ignored the question and joined Gibbs at the table, putting several large folders down as she did.

"You didn't find Abby."

"Is that a question or a statement, Agent Harris?"

Callie continued, "I know where she is, who has her and why."

"And you couldn't call me and tell me that? Oh, wait," and he pulled her phone from his pocket and slammed it down on the table in front of her, "That would mean you'd have to answer your damn phone!"

Callie jumped at his actions but she couldn't back down now. "Are you going to hear me out or do I need to go ahead and go back to D.C.?"

Gibbs warred with himself. He could tell by the steel in her voice, she had the answers they needed.

"It better be good." He finally answered.

"I knew I was missing something. In the back of mind, I knew that Voslova had slipped up when he held Abby and me but I couldn't remember. This morning, after talking it through with Ducky, I figured it out. It wasn't just one thing. It was two."

She handed Gibbs the finger print card, "He secured my shackles when he injected me. The print was on the inside."

"So this ties Voslova to our crime. Again, you could have told me this on the phone." Gibbs warned.

"The second thing was how he addressed me. He never called me Callie." She looked into Gibbs face, "He called me Special Agent Harris."

Gibbs went back to the original crime scene in his mind. He remembered searching Callie's car. He remember finding…

"How could he have known that? Your NCIS identification was in your vehicle and you weren't carrying a weapon."

She smiled, "Because he knew me." Callie handed Gibbs the picture of Petrovsky. "The fingerprint belongs to him."

Gibbs looked up at Callie, "We were his target."

"Yeah. He didn't want me without you. Abby was the bait. That's why he was mad and killed his accomplices. His henchmen were only supposed to kidnap her and then…"

"And then, as a team, we would come after Abs." Gibbs finished, "Son of a bitch."

"He's taken her back to Prague." Callie stated, matter of fact.

Gibbs shook his head. Igor Petrovsky was an asset that he and Jenny and, eventually, Callie had chased all over the Iron Curtain. He had been one of the key players Gibbs had tried to capture during his six months in Russia. When they hadn't been able to take him, they had traded off with the CIA, giving them all of their intelligence reports. The Agency had a deep cover asset who could get to Petrovsky. He looked at the large folder in front of Callie and knew immediately what she had.

"What's that going to cost me?" Gibbs reached out and pulled the CIA dossier from the stack.

"You, nothing. Me? That's a different story." Callie relaxed. He hadn't appreciated her methods but she knew Gibbs wasn't going to put her on the next flight to D.C. Not yet, anyway.

"Have fun playing with Nasty?" Gibbs looked up from glancing through the file.

Callie smiled, "Not really." She shrugged, "They want to interrogate Voslova."

"Hmmm," was Gibbs noncommittal reply, "So what's your plan?"

"I've got us on a flight to the Czech Republic in three hours." Callie answered.

"What makes you think I've changed my mind? I told you to sit this one out."

Callie countered, "You need me. Tony's done this kind of work before and, from what I can tell from the files, did it pretty damn well for Jenny."

Gibbs smiled. Callie Harris knew her way around a computer. He wasn't surprised that she'd accessed all of the Rene Benoit information after he and Tony had been non-committal when it had first come up.

Harris continued, "However, this is not McGee's area of expertise."

Gibbs leaned across the table, "You suggesting I leave him behind?"

"On the contrary," Callie replied, "he's the one who's going to have to break the electronics. I'm good but Tim's better. Looking over those reports, Voslova has increased the security in the Castle and it's some pretty high-tech stuff."

The Castle was the home of Igor Petrovsky/Pieter Voslova. Situated on the outskirts of Prague, it was built to look like an old, Bavarian castle but it was actually a very new structure with state of the art surveillance and security.

Callie went on, "McGee's going to have to be the one to get us in and someone's got to protect him. You'll have to get Abby and Tony covers you." She said it again, with emphasis, "You need me."

Gibbs leaned back and smiled. Callie had done what he knew she could do. She had gotten the intel and found their lab rat. If she had called him with this information, he probably wouldn't have believed her. Gibbs knew she'd done the right thing by disobeying his orders and coming here. She was right, too, that she was needed. Her expertise on the area that they were headed to would be especially useful. However, she still needed to sweat a little bit longer for her blatant disregard of their earlier contact attempts.

Tony and McGee had been standing in the adjoining doorway for most of Callie's explanation. Tony had quietly opened the door when he heard voices coming from Gibbs' room. With weapon drawn, he was prepared to take out the other person until he saw that brilliant red hair. Then, he just got angry.

McGee had been ready to back up Tony until he recognized Harris' voice. He had listened intently, surprised when Callie had quickly defended his role in the mission. McGee saw Gibbs' quick glance toward the door and then backed out of the way. He didn't want to be anywhere around when his partner and the redhead crossed swords.

"Fine," Gibbs shrugged, "You've convinced me. It's good work, Callie."

"So, I'm going?" She had thought Jethro might still keep her out.

"Yeah, sure, so long as he agrees," and he hooked a thumb toward the adjoining room.

Callie followed Gibbs motion and turned to see a very angry Anthony DiNozzo standing in the doorway. She stood slowly and started to speak but Tony cut her off with a wave of his hand. He crooked his finger, indicating she should join him in the other room.

Like a prisoner headed to the death chamber, Callie slowly approached the other room. Tony stepped aside to let Callie enter and McGee leave. Just as he was about to close the door, Gibbs hollered, "DiNozzo!"

Tony looked back just in time to see the phone come flying at him. Callie turned at Gibbs voice and watched as Tony caught her cell. Opening it quickly and realizing what he had, Tony saw the fact that over ten calls and been missed. He continued to back Callie into the bedroom. Callie flashed an accusing look at Gibbs who only smiled as the adjoining door closed with an ominous click.

McGee had brought the food with him to Gibbs' room. As he passed out the burgers, he looked at the Boss, "She'll be okay, right?"

Gibbs smiled up at the agent, "Weren't you the one ready to hang her just a few hours ago?"

"Yeah, but Boss, I've never seen Tony that mad."

"Yeah, neither has she." Gibbs smiled and took a bite of the cold burger.

* * *

Tony leaned back against the door and locked it. Callie heard the bolt slide and the immediately looked into Tony's lighter green eyes. For the first time, in a long time, Callie was completely unsure of her best course of action.

DiNozzo watched her squirm. He narrowed his gaze, trying to read her body language while he decided how to handle this situation. He finally made up his mind and quickly crossed the room, walking up as close to Callie as he could without actually touching her. Unprepared for the action, Callie retreated only to find herself with no where to go as she backed into the wall. Tony pinned her with an arm on either side.

The anger and fury in his gaze actually frightened Callie. Tony was usually an even tempered, good natured guy. His happy go lucky attitude was what had drawn Harris to him. But, this was a man who could be dangerous. Like Gibbs, DiNozzo was trained to kill and this was a part of his nature that he kept hidden. His voice was deadly calm as he spoke to her.

"Let me explain something to you, Special Agent Harris. We work together as a team. T-E-A-M – team. Do you understand that word?"

Callie didn't trust herself to speak so she nodded affirmatively.

"I have seen what it does to a team when one person tries to go it alone. It destroys the team and the individual, more often than not, winds up dead."

Again Callie nodded her understanding.

"I will not work with someone who can't or won't accept the concept. Do you understand that?"

Still not sure she could speak, she nodded again.

He dropped his forehead to touch hers, "You blatantly ignored ten calls – six from me, four from Gibbs. We had no idea if you were alive or dead, AGAIN, for the second time in 48 hours." He took a slow, deep breath and continued, "I care a great deal for you, Callie Harris, but I can't let my feelings for you interfere with my job. I need to know where you stand because I will not be put in this place again."

Callie put her hands on Tony's chest, feeling the steady beat of his heart. She spoke softly as she answered, "I was wrong to avoid your calls and Gibbs. I was hurt that you both could leave me behind so easliy. And I felt guilty about Abby so that all I could think of was getting the answers to find her. I never meant to hurt you or cause you worry."

Tony didn't move as Callie continued to talk, "I could love you very easily, Anthony DiNozzo, and that scares me. I've never been in a relationship like this where I felt that way." She paused as she added, "Even with Gibbs."

He leaned up and finally looked at her, "What do you want, Harris?"

She whispered, "You." And then kissed him.

When he broke off the kiss, Tony pulled her into a tight embrace. "Do this to me again, Callie and we're done. Everything. I'll make sure even Gibbs won't keep you around."

Callie nodded. She deserved this and the sudden realization that she could lose everything that was important to her sobered her quickly. "It won't happen again."

Tony smiled, "I know."

They both jumped at the knock on the door. Callie slipped DiNozzo's embrace and unlocked it. Opening up the room, Gibbs was standing on the threshold. "So, what's the verdict, DiNozzo?"

Callie looked back over her shoulder. While they had resolved several issues between the two of them, Tony really hadn't given any indication as to whether or not he would let Callie make the trip. Her fate rested solely in hands.

He looked first at Callie and then a smiling Gibbs. He shrugged, "Well, she's done all this work, Boss, so it'd be a real shame if she didn't get to see it through."

"Thank you, Tony," Callie answered contritely.

"Yeah, that's what I figured." Gibbs said. He tossed the rest of the food back at DiNozzo, "Then eat and get ready. Our flight leaves in…" he looked at Callie.

"In about two hours," She smiled.

They were headed to Prague.


	14. Chapter 14

They made the safe house in Prague around 3 A.M. Tuesday morning, having lost a day in the flight. Although they had managed to sleep off and on, the agents were still thoroughly exhausted. They had received most of the Security Quebec reports before they boarded; a couple had been emailed while they were in transit. Everything matched back to the D.C. crime scene and they were able to pull another print that matched Petrovsky. They knew they had the right man.

Once inside the residence, Gibbs ordered the other three to get some sleep. Tim took one room and Gibbs turned a blind eye as Tony and Callie took the other. It was hard for him to be critical when he and Jenny had done the same thing a lifetime ago.

Gibbs dropped down on the couch where he dozed off and on through the early morning. He wasn't surprised when he heard Callie rummaging in the kitchen a few hours later. He joined her at the table, gratefully accepting the cup of coffee Callie prepared.

Slumping in a chair across from the boss, she asked, "You want me to run Tony out of the bed?"

"Naw, I'm good. How come you're up already?" he sipped his drink.

She shrugged, "You know me, don't sleep that well when lives are on the line."

"Must have coffee," Tony grumbled, sounding more like Frankenstein as he joined the older agents at the table. Callie slapped his head as she got up to fix DiNozzo's cup.

Thanking her with a look, he continued, "Bring back fond memories for you two?"

Callie and Gibbs exchanged a quick glance but before either could answer, Tim joined the group. Pointing at Tony's cup, he asked groggily, "Is there more?"

Callie shook her head and got up to fix the third cup. Returning to the table she admonished, "Don't get used to the domesticity."

"Well, since you're all here, we might as well lay a few ground rules. No one leaves the house alone, under any circumstances. Make as little contact with outsiders as possible. If all goes well, we should be able to get to Abby tonight. As soon as I meet with my sources, we'll know for sure. For this assignment, Callie's your Senior Field Agent."

Callie and Tony exchanged a look before Tony asked, "Not that I mind but can I ask why?"

"She's got the experience in this area that you don't have, DiNozzo. Don't take it personal."

Gibbs looked at Callie who shifted in her seat before adding, "This is where I grew up, guys. This was my school room and playground. I probably know my way around here better than I do D.C."

Gibbs picked up the thread, "This is going to be quick and dirty. We've got to get in, get Abby and get out. There's a learning curve that neither of you have," he pointed to Tim and Tony.

Both men nodded and indicated their understanding. Gibbs looked at his watch and continued, "Okay, let's get cleaned up and ready to go. Tony, you and Callie will be with me."

"What about me, Boss?" McGee asked.

Gibbs looked at Callie, "She's got you from here, McGee." With that, Gibbs left for a shower.

Tony stood and stretched. Slipping behind Harris, he ruffled her short hair so that it stood straight up. Leaning down, he whispered, "Be nice to the Probie, Red." Callie elbowed Tony in the chest. He just smiled and left Harris and McGee sitting at opposite ends of the table.

"I think there's something I should probably say to you," McGee began but Callie stopped him.

"You know about apologies, Mc-G," Callie smiled.

"Thanks. I know you would have gladly taken Abby's place if there had been any way."

Callie nodded and then pulled out one of the files that was sitting in the middle of the table. McGee moved around and pulled a chair up closer to the Senior Agent. "This is the Castle, Tim. Study these plans until you know them inside and out. The schematics are attached as well."

He pulled the file from her and began sifting through the detailed information, "How did you get this?"

Callie raised her eyebrows, "I could tell you but then I'd have to shoot you."

McGee looked up to see Harris's big smile, "Got it. Don't ask."

He continued to flip through the information as Callie explained, "You've got to get us in. Once inside, you'll need to control the security cameras and all the systems. I'm pretty sure it's a collapsing circuit but if you can figure someway around it that could be controlled remotely you would have the ability to run everything from the HVACs systems to the sprinklers."

Tim nodded as Callie spoke, making pencil notes on the drawings. Reaching behind her, Callie pulled a box from the counter. Inside was another blackberry system that she gave to McGee. "This is a burned unit, McGee. Once you have the intel, store it here. When we're done, I have to pass it on. Part of my penance for what you're looking at."

McGee looked up at Callie as she stood from the table. Putting her hand on his shoulder, she told him one more thing, "You need to be ready to go tonight. Voslova won't stay here long. And you have to get it right the first time because we won't get a second chance. If we can't get Abby here, we won't get her."

Tim knew Callie was trying to prepare him but she was doing a better job of scaring him to death. He replied, "I got it, Callie. I know what to do."

She squeezed his shoulder, "Know you do, Tim. That's why you're here."

And she left the computer geek to his work.


	15. Chapter 15

Gibbs and the other two agents left the house together. A quick check on McGee showed him still at the table, running scenarios on how he could bypass the Castle's security. He didn't look up as Tony told him they were leaving. McGee simply waved them off and continued scribbling.

Once outside in the city, Gibbs and Callie made quick work of the streets. Tony began to realize why Jethro had made his decision. As they walked, Harris pointed out different routes and buildings that could be used for cover and protection. The change in Callie's demeanor was interesting. In D.C., she was the follower. She was willing to do whatever job Gibbs or the guys assigned her. She never complained, usually had a running joke of some kind and, oftentimes, threw herself between the agents and Gibbs to keep him at bay. Tony knew she was smart and quick on her feet. He'd seen that firsthand. Here she was decisive, firm, and in control.

They neared the antique bookshop and it was Callie, not Gibbs who gave the orders. "You've got the Boss, DiNozzo. I'm headed around back." And she peeled off, leaving the men to walk the last few blocks together.

"Who is that woman?" DiNozzo watched her turn and go a different direction.

Gibbs smiled, "That's Rojo. Funny, isn't it?"

"I was thinking scary. How come she's not like that at home?"

"She knows the Senior is your job. She also knows that this is a different set of skills than what we use in D.C. So there, she's the one behind the learning curve. It's what makes an agent good, DiNozzo. You know your strengths and weaknesses." He stopped Tony in the street and faced him, slapping his shoulder as he replied, "It's the same thing that makes you good, Anthony. It's why I wanted you from Baltimore."

Tony blushed under the praise. Gibbs didn't give compliments often. When he did, it was because they were earned. He knew that the Boss had wanted him to understand why he'd made this change on foreign soil. The compliment was because he knew Tony understood. Slapping the back of the agent's head, he added, "But you repeat that and I'll deny it."

Tony smiled and followed Gibbs into the bookstore. DiNozzo turned left and began perusing the shelves as Gibbs made his way to the counter. The store was empty except for them.

The old man behind the counter looked up as the old bell on the door rang. He had recognized the graying man when he entered. As he neared his counter, the store owner gave a toothless grin.

"My, my, Leh-roy," he drew out Gibbs name in accented English, "how long has it been?"

Gibbs smiled and shook the proffered hand, "More years than I care to admit, Aved. How are you?"

The man laughed, "Old." He glanced around and saw Tony had worked his way to the left of the counter. "You are breaking in a new one?"

Tony, realizing he'd been made, sauntered forward and casually leaned on the counter. Gibbs replied, "Not so new, Aved, but new here."

"No redheads?" was the knowing question.

Callie had entered the backdoor quietly, insuring that Aved was, indeed, alone in the store. As she slipped up behind the aging owner, she answered, "Just me."

Aved didn't flinch, used to the agent's entrance. "Nice to hear your voice, Callia."

Callie didn't move, choosing instead to lean nonchalantly on the door frame. Allowing her visual access to both the front and the back doors. Gibbs continued the conversation.

"What can you tell me about my old friend, Igor?"

Aved shook his head, "Igor is dead, Leh-roy. Killed almost three years ago."

Gibbs laughed mirthlessly, "Yeah, that's what I heard. But, you know, Aved, I heard they never found a body so…"

Aved narrowed his gaze at Gibbs, "So you wonder if this is really true, yes?"

"You know me too well." And Gibbs slid Voslova's picture across the counter.

Aved didn't even look down. He smiled at Gibbs. "He's in the Castle."

Callie had been watching Tony observe the Boss. When Gibbs got yet another confirmation of the Voslova/Petrovsky identity, Tony imperceptibly shook his head. Callie smiled. The boss was good.

"Got a girl with him?" Gibbs continued.

Aved nodded, "A scientist that he is using to help him work both sides of the street. He sells poisons to one buyer and the cures to another. She is helping him with the cures."

"How much longer?"

Aved looked around and then answered Gibbs, "Rumor says he has a shipment going out tomorrow night. After that, who knows?"

Gibbs nodded. That was the confirmation he needed. He nodded Callie out of the room.

"Maybe a longer visit next time, Callia?"

"Probably not, Aved, but thanks." And Harris melted out the same way she came in.

Gibbs looked at Tony, "You're done, too. She'll be on the corner in fifteen minutes. Meet her."

Tony nodded, "Pleasure, Aved." And he left the store, retracing the path he had used to get to the front.

When Gibbs heard the door signal Tony's exit, he leaned across to the book dealer. "I need two weapons and five i.d.s Aved. These two a couple; these two a couple." And he slid pictures of Callie, Tony, Abby, and Tim to the man.

Aved nodded, "When?"

"First light. Weapons?"

"I think you will find something you like in the Westerns. That's always the best selection."

Gibbs smiled at Aved's sense of humor and then slid an envelope across to the man. "Good to see you."

Aved nodded, "I will destroy them if you are not here by 6 A.M. tomorrow."

Gibbs agreed and then left, after picking up the two 'books' Aved had recommended. He caught up with Callie and Tony, walking arm and arm like two lovers, about twelve blocks from the store.

In Russian, Gibbs said to Callie, "Excuse me, miss, but you left your package. My boss asked me to bring it to you."

Callie replied back, also in Russian, "Thank you very much, sir." And turning to Tony, she switched to English, "Tip the man, darling. We made him walk a long way to catch us."

Tony, knowing he was the pawn in the game, reached into his pocket and pulled out several Euros. He dropped them into Gibbs hand who thanked him, still speaking in Russian. Gibbs then left the two and proceeded on as if he had another delivery to make.

Callie and Tony continued to stroll the street.

"You didn't tell me you spoke Russian," Tony said.

"Russian, Spanish, a little French, a little Greek, and, if you get me drunk?" Callie replied, "a whole lotta Redneck!"

Tony laughed and put his arm around her shoulders and they continued the walk to the safe house.

Once back inside, Callie opened the box Gibbs had given her. It was a weapon that she immediately began to clean. Gibbs was in the kitchen doing the same thing. The shower could be heard in the back. Tony dropped in a chair across from Callie.

"McGee figure out the electronics?" She asked, knowing Tony had been into see him.

"He's acting pretty proud of himself so I'd say yes."

"You feeling left out?" She spared a glance.

He shrugged, "Maybe a little."

Callie had finished and then returned the gun to the holster Aved had included. She wiped her hands and then crossed to DiNozzo's chair. She dropped down in his lap and wrapped her arms around his neck. Laying her head on his shoulder, he pulled her in tighter.

"You'll have to do part of the heavy lifting tonight, Tony." She told him quietly. He nodded, letting her continue to talk and draw circles on his chest as she did, "If this turns into a firefight, you and Gibbs will bare the brunt of it."

"I can handle that, Callie." Was his equally quiet reply.

"Yeah, I know. And so can Gibbs."

"So can you," he answered, giving her a squeeze.

"That's not the problem."

He knew what the problem was. It was what he had felt when he met Rene Benoit. It was also what he felt when he saw his car blow up.

"If it's called for, Agent Harris," Tony said, his tone brokering no argument, "you can handle that, too." And he tapped her nose for emphasis.

She smiled and snuggled closer, "Think we can just stay like this for awhile?"

"Until Gibbs yells at us."

That's how Gibbs found them, a couple of hours later, sound asleep. He shook his head and got McGee. The two of them went out for dinner and brought food back for Callie and Tony. By the time they returned, Harris and DiNozzo had showered and dressed, preparing for tonight's mission.

While Gibbs and McGee changed, the other two ate in silence, watching the time slowly pass. The Boss called the team together to review plans one last time. There were no questions left to ask. They were all focused on one thing – get Abby by any means necessary.

Gibbs checked his watch one last time and finished their briefing, "Check your gear, clean the space and get your heads in the game. We leave at 0-100." In four more hours they would face down Petrovsky.


	16. Chapter 16

Callie and McGee left the safe house first. Dressed completely in black, both wearing black caps to cover their lighter hair, they moved quickly and quietly in the shadows. Twenty minutes later they were at the rear entrance to the Castle. McGee began removing covers and checking wires until he finally had everything set.

"Look, Tim, once you start, you're only going to have about 45 seconds before their security clicks in. If you can't get it on the first try, we're done. Understand?"

"Uh-huh," he answered as he continued to match up the schematics with the actual equipment.

In her earpiece, Callie heard Gibbs voice, "We're in position, Harris."

The other team had left about ten minutes after she and McGee. They, too, had used the back ways and alleys and were standing just outside the main entrance to the Castle. They would move in once they knew McGee controlled the systems.

"I'm ready," Tim answered. He took a deep breath, clipped several wires, tied off a few more and then images began to pop up on his laptop. Callie held her breath waiting for the tell-tale sound of alarms but nothing happened. Looking down at the computer guy, Tim smiled, "I'm in, with no detection. I've got the entire view that security is seeing now and am about to run the loop."

Borrowing an idea from a previous mission, Tim was allowing the video feed to loop for about five minutes. He would then play back the displays so that the guys inside the castle would see nothing and the other three agents would be nothing more than ghosts in the system. Tim also had also managed to tap into all the mechanical systems in the Castle as well.

Callie squatted down beside the other agent, "Listen to me, Tim. Once inside, you're our eyes and ears. We'll depend completely upon you. You keep your head down and camouflaged as long as you can. If you have to shoot, shoot to kill. Because that's what these guys will do. If it gets too hot, you leave."

"But, Callie," McGee started.

In their earpieces, Gibbs and Tony had been listening to Callie's instructions. Gibbs chimed in, "That's an order, McGee. You do what Harris says, got it?"

"Yes, Boss," he answered, with a disappointed look to Callie.

She smiled and patted him on the shoulder before she stood back up. Walking closer to the door, she heard Tim say, "I'm in and we're good to go."

"On my mark," Gibbs replied and then counted down from three.

Callie entered the back door, quietly as Gibbs and Tony entered the front just as quietly. Again, no alarms sounded. All had their weapons drawn and ready to shoot.

"Okay, everyone, heading North. I've got a visual on the lab. Right now, Abby's there, working and she is alone." Tim instructed.

"Copy," Callie replied, followed by Gibbs, "Roger that."

The agents moved quickly down the narrow halls to retrieve the lab tech.

"Boss," Tim's voice echoed, "You've got a patrol of two headed your way."

"Roger," Gibbs answered and then whispered to Tony, "No weapons, DiNozzo. You're going to have to get your hands dirty."

Tony nodded his understanding and stepped into the shadows, almost directly across from Gibbs. The two man patrol passed them without comment. Gibbs and Tony emerged simultaneously, each taking a man. Gibbs made quick work of his assailant. Tony had locked the man's neck in the hold Gibbs had shown him long ago and with one quick motion, DiNozzo heard the sickening crack and felt the man go limp. They drug the bodies into the darkened alcove as Gibbs replied, "I'll make a Marine of you yet, DiNozzo."

"Ooh-rah" was all Tony could think to answer.

On Callie's side of the building she was having her own problems. Ahead, she could see a single guard, standing in front of the access to the ventilation shafts than ran over the lab.

"Harris?" Tim queried.

"Eyes on him, McGee," Callie replied quietly as she made a split second decision on how to proceed.

Walking directly into the hall, the man before her was much taller than even Tony and Tim. He spied her and asked in Russian, "What are you? Munchkin?"

Callie shrugged, acting as if she didn't understand. She continued to approach the larger man as he watched, amused by the shorter person's aggression. She was directly in front of him when Callie kicked out her booted foot, connecting solidly with the man's knee. She heard it pop and was behind him before he could cry out. Like Gibbs and Tony, she grabbed the man's beefy neck in an arm lock and quickly turned it. He dropped hard and heavy. Grabbing the man's weapon, Callie secured it in her waistband and then sit the man up, making it appear he was napping.

From his command post, Tim watched the smaller agent dispatch the larger armed man. He'd have to be sure and save that footage to share with Tony. And he'd thought Ziva had deadly ninja skills!

"Callie, your access should be right above you," Tim instructed.

"I've got it. I'm going silent, McGee." Callie replied.

This was one of the aspects of their plan that Gibbs didn't like. Callie's progress through the ventilation shaft would not be tracked. While he knew she would be quiet and deliberate, Callie was, in effect, alone. And, if she wasn't in place when they needed her, the results would be catastrophic.

"Boss," McGee checked in again, "You're in front of the lab now. I'm still not seeing anyone."

"Copy," was Gibbs clipped response. Looking to DiNozzo, he gave another silent three count and the two agents kicked through the door into the lab.

Abby jumped as the door crashed back. She turned in time to see Gibbs and Tony enter quickly. She started to rush to them only to have Petrovsky grab her hair and pull her back. Voslova/Petrovsky had been hidden by several of the larger machines in the lab. The chair, placed at the end of the table, was not visible to the security system cameras, an intentional design flaw constructed by Voslova himself. He leveled his weapon at Gibbs.

Gibbs was not surprised to find the Russian in the lab. L.J. had remembered Igor Petrovsky as a hands on individual who didn't trust others to the more important work. Gibbs refused to lower his weapon, keeping eye contact on the dealer.

Tony had moved to a position slightly left and back of Gibbs. While he had a relatively clear shot of Petrovsky, he couldn't guarantee he wouldn't nick Abby. He also knew that a shot from his position could easily bring down all of the security forces within the building.

McGee had watched the agents enter the lab and was surprised to see Voslova appear out of nowhere. Doing a quick scan, he realized that most of the Castle's security was asleep in a room on the opposite end of the building. This would bode well for their escape and any noise the agents might have to make. He had no way of communicating this to Gibbs or DiNozzo, however, without interrupting the standoff and McGee was loathe to break the radio silence. All the other security still believed that everything was quiet and no one had intruded into their stronghold.

Callie quietly made her way to the airshaft just back of the lab. She eased the vent door open and dropped onto the landing that ran above the room. It was another crawl space that could be used to replace lighting and clean the filters in the work area. From this point, Callie could see Gibbs and hear the conversation. She had a clear view of Voslova but not of Abby. She was going to have to rely on Gibbs verbal commands if she had to take a shot.

"Hello, Leh-roy. It has been a very long time, no?" Voslova spoke in his heavily accented English.

"Too long, Voslova or should I say," Gibbs paused, "Igor?"

"Well, your Abigail was correct. She said you would come but where is Special Agent Harris?"

"You've already taken care of her, Igor. When you knocked her out before you left D.C., the blow caused an aneurysm. She was dead before we found her." Gibbs said, his voice unemotional.

Abby was crestfallen, "No, Gibbs, she was alive."

Gibbs ignored Abby's pitiful voice as Voslova continued, "Well, no loss. That leaves you and, as Miss Sciuto predicted, you've come for your lab tech."

Gibbs couldn't look at Abby. He knew the next things he spoke were going to rip her heart out. He'd make up for it later and hopefully she'd understand this was to keep her alive.

"Come for a lab tech? Are you kidding?" The scorn in Gibbs voice was scathing. He lowered his weapon as he continued, "You slipped up, Igor. You left a fingerprint at the crime scene in D.C. and I'm here to finish the job I started 16 years ago."

Tony and Tim knew Gibbs had to say the things he was saying. They both also knew Abby was going to be devastated. Tony had the harder job. He had to not react as Gibbs continued to downplay his relationship with Abby.

"So you care nothing for her?" Petrovsky was playing at a dangerous game, baiting the Special Agent.

"Lab techs are a dime a dozen, Igor. In fact, I've already replaced her."

Even Tim could hear Abby's sharply indrawn breath.

"Perhaps," Igor continued, "your associate feels differently." And he pointed his weapon towards Tony.

"He'll do exactly as he's told," Gibbs replied with meaning. And cutting a sideways glance at Tony, he continued, "Lower your weapon."

He wanted to disobey. Tony wanted to blow this guy's head off for messing with Abby and making Gibbs say the things he did. But, he knew Abby's life was at stake. So, he lowered his weapon instantly at Gibbs command.

Callie knew it was now all up to her. She'd had Voslova sited in from the minute he appeared. She still had no way of seeing Abby but Callie trusted Gibbs. She would know her cue the minute it was given.

"So, you have no issues with me doing this?" Petrovsky challenged by putting his weapon directly against Abby's temple.

Gibbs shrugged, "None."

"And if I pull the trigger?" And everyone in the room heard the Russian chamber the round in the weapon.

"Go for it." Was Gibbs reply.

The sound of the shot was deafening. Abby flinched, knowing she should have felt something or, at the very least, not been aware that she felt nothing. Voslova crumpled, the bullet having gone through the back of his skull and exiting the front. Everyone's movements were now quick and efficient.

Gibbs yelled at Tony, "Grab Abby and let's go."

Tony grabbed the Goth by the arm and drug her forward, placing her protectively behind Gibbs and in front of himself. The three then ran down the hall, back the way Tony and Jethro had come originally. No one impeded their path and they were out the front door and back on the way to the safe house in twenty minutes.

From her perch at the top of the lab, Callie called to Tim, "McGee, hit the sprinklers and flood this fucking place!"

"On it!" was the immediate reply, and the water began to flow from the fire sprinklers.

Callie shimmied back into the vent and then back out as quickly as possible. She dropped into the hall, only to hear McGee call, "You've got two behind you, Harris!"

She turned and fired shots at the guards' heads. Both dropped but not before one got off a round that grazed Harris' shoulder. She turned and continued to run back the way she had entered, never encountering anyone else.

She grabbed McGee, "Let's move, Tim." And shoved the computer guru in front of her to protect him from any shots. McGee had quickly disconnected the systems, storing everything that had occurred. Also, while Tim had been waiting for the agents to proceed and retrieve Abby, he had been able to accomplish his other job that Callie had quietly requested.

Tim started to turn towards the front of the Castle when Callie grabbed his collar, "No, McGee, this way." And she led them back a different direction than which they came, taking them near the Moldau River basin. Here, Callie allowed Tim to catch his breath.

"Why are we here?" Tim asked

Callie pulled the gun from the holster that she had used to shoot Voslova, "To get rid of this." And she tossed it toward the middle of the water.

Tim watched, "OK. I don't guess I understand."

Callie leaned against the low bridge as she explained, "Well, McGee, this isn't exactly a sanctioned operation. If the water from the sprinklers doesn't destroy the evidence like we hope, they could trace the ballistics back to the gun and the gun to me. And, I'm afraid, I'd be spending a really, really long time in Prague."

And the fact that Callie had just, in fact, committed a cold blooded murder made Tim flinch, "But it would be self-defense."

Callie understood, "Tim, in these types of operations there is no self-defense. It's either kill or be killed. I understood the risk and the possible repercussions when I took on the responsibility."

"I don't think I could've pulled the trigger," he replied, searching his inner self.

"What's the alternative?"

He stood there, running the scenarios and finally looked at Callie, "Abby dead."

She smiled, "And that's not an option."

He nodded. And, now, McGee understood why Gibbs had made Callie his second on this mission.

"Come on, Tim, we're not out of the woods yet. We've got to get back to the safe house and still get out of Prague."

"Lead the way, Cal." And the two agents started again toward their base of operation.


	17. Chapter 17

Once back at the house, Callie cautioned the younger agent. Pulling the weapon she had taken off the guard at the Castle, Callie moved in quietly toward the door. She was just about to open it when Tony pulled it open from the inside, leveling his weapon at Callie's head.

"Damn it, Harris," Tony said, grabbing her collar and pulling her inside; Tim right behind, closing the door as he entered.

"Where's Abby?" Callie questioned after she swallowed her heart back into her chest.

Tony motioned toward a back bedroom, "In there, with the door locked, mad as hell at Gibbs."

Tim looked around, "Where is Gibbs?"

"He went back to Aved's to get our documentation." Tony supplied.

Callie whirled on the agent, "Alone?"

Tony shrugged, 'Yeah, alone."

"Damn him," Callie said and she headed back to the front door.

"Where are you going?" Tony right behind her.

"To back up Gibbs."

"I'll go," Tony eagerly volunteered.

Callie looked at her partner, "No offense, Tony, but I can be there before you could even figure out which way to go."

He started to correct her but, deep down, knew she was right. He acknowledged her answer with a quick nod of the head.

She smiled back at him and started to leave. With her hand on the door, she turned back to the agent, "DiNozzo, if we're not back in an hour, get the hell outta here."

Tony was surprised, "I'm not going anywhere without you and Gibbs."

Tony could see Callie struggling with her words. Her tone of voice spoke her reticence at making the comment, "Tony, it's not a request. It's an order."

He wanted to argue with her again but he'd already seen why Callie was senior for this mission. To disobey her was to disobey Gibbs. "Got it." Was all he said and then watched as Callie exited, closing the door behind her.

She caught Gibbs just as he was leaving Aved's book store. She let him pass, keeping well hidden, and watching behind the Agent in Charge as he returned to the safe house. Gibbs entered the front as Callie slipped in the back, unnoticed by the other occupants.

"Good," Tim said as Gibbs entered, "you're back."

Tony joined them in the front room, "Where's Callie?"

Gibbs was instantly on guard, "What do you mean, where's Callie? Isn't she here?"

"No, she went out to back you up," Tony answered.

Callie chose that time to enter from the kitchen and slap Gibbs on the back of the head, copying his patented style. Tony and Tim both froze, staring at the woman as if she'd lost her mind.

Gibbs immediately turned ice blue eyes on his agent, "You better have a damned good explanation for that little performance, Agent Harris."

"Your rules, Agent Gibbs: no one leaves this house alone," she said, temper in her tone.

Gibbs cocked his head, "How long have you been behind me?"

"Ever since you left Aved's." she supplied.

Gibbs smiled, "Don't remember you being that good, Harris."

Callie only smiled but before she could reply, a voice from the hallway stated, "You said she was dead." Abby's tone was cold and accusing.

Gibbs flinched as did Callie and Tim. Tony had seen her when she came out of the bedroom, the look of shock etched on her face at seeing Callie in the house.

It was Harris who responded first and crossed to the lab tech. Taking both Abby's hands in her, she looked up at the taller girl. "He lied, Abby. Everything Gibbs said while you were being held by Voslova – it was a lie."

Abby looked deep into Callie's green eyes and then over her head to Gibbs. He smiled and nodded, coming to stand behind Callie as she continued, "If he'd told the truth, Voslova would have never let you go."

"He would have killed me." Abby said simply. And they all nodded. Pulling Callie forward into a hug, Abby cried, "I couldn't think of anything else to do to save you."

Callie cried, "I'm so sorry, Abby. I would have never put you in that position. Next time, you save yourself."

"But don't you understand, Callie?" Abby began, leaning back from the older agent, "I did save myself. By bargaining for your life, I convinced Voslova that I would work for him. It's probably the only thing that kept me alive as long as it did."

And she did understand but couldn't face the reality of what Abby had to do. "Did he…" Callie tried to ask.

She smiled shyly, "He wanted me for my brain, not my body."

"Foolish man," Timothy said, not realizing he'd spoken aloud until eyes turned on him.

Gibbs shook his head and then pulled Abby into a bone crushing hug of his own. Harris heard her whisper, "I knew you'd find me, Gibbs."

"And I always will, Abs." he replied, his voice thick with emotion.

Abby dropped on the nearby couch, pulling Gibbs down with her. Tim joined her on the other side. The three talked quietly while Callie slipped down the hall to the bedroom that she and Tony shared. Once inside, she eased off her shirt, looking at the flesh wound in the mirror. She suddenly realized another reflection was staring back at her.

Tony closed the door behind him and walked past her into the bathroom. Wetting a rag and grabbing a towel, he returned to where Callie still stood. As he gently touched the open gash, Callie flinched.

"Sorry." DiNozzo apologized.

"No, don't be, just…" she looked into his eyes in the mirror, "don't tell Gibbs."

Tony smiled, "Why?"

"He really doesn't like his agents getting shot, in case you didn't know that," she tried humor, but it failed as Callie began to shiver. "Damn it. I thought I was over this," she said through chattering teeth.

Tony quickly tied a strip of clean cloth around Callie's arm and then grabbed the quilt from the bed and wrapped her up.

"What's this about?"

Callie shook her head, "Just coming off the adrenaline. It's stupid, I know but it's how I react sometimes."

Tony led her to the bed. He dropped down first and then pulled Callie behind him, wrapping his arm around the agent, blanket and all. Harris didn't hesitate to burrow into the comforting action. In minutes, she was asleep.

Tony had heard the door open not long after he stretched out with Callie. Gibbs had watched the two agents, approvingly, knowing that an almost identical scene was playing out in the other bedroom across the hall with Tim and Abby. He whispered as he came closer to the bed, "She okay?"

"No," Tony said and eased the covering down to reveal Callie's injured shoulder, "A flesh wound, but a wound, none the less."

Gibbs nodded, "Just make sure she's bandaged good before you get on the flight. Any blood and she'll have to explain."

"Got it. What time?"

"We've got about six hours before we can get out of here. Couple hours shut eye and then we get ready for the flight. Hopefully, this time tomorrow, we'll be back in D.C." Gibbs instructed.

"Can't wait," Tony said quietly.

From the bundle of blankets a voice answered, "Me, neither."

* * *

The couple was arguing from the time they entered the Customs check point. He was in a suit, laden with bags. She was in a very classy dress, peering over her glasses at her husband. The dark haired woman with dark eyes to match looked at the agent as she handed over ticket and passport, "He lost the camera with all of our pictures."

"I'm sorry, dear," the man apologized for what seemed like the 100th time.

Taking pity on him, the Customs Agent replied, "I'm sure he didn't mean to, Mrs. McGinty," using the name from the passport.

"Is there a possibility I can change seats?" she continued her tirade.

"No, ma'am, I'm sorry. We're fully booked." The agent stamped the ticket and passport and sent the woman through.

The husband set down the carry on bags and handed his information to the agent. He made a cursory glance, stamped Mr. McGinty's passport and handed it back, saying, "Sorry, sir. It's going to be a long flight home, I guess."

Timothy nodded his head and picked up his bags, "You're probably right." And he hurried to follow his wife.

* * *

In another Customs line, the distinguished looking, grey haired gentleman handed his passport and ticket to the attractive woman. "So what brings you to Prague, Mr. Gilbert?" she asked, in heavily accented English.

"Business," was the smooth reply.

"What kind?" the girl continued to make small talk while punching the information into the computer.

"I deal in rare books and manuscripts. I got a very valuable volume." And he showed the girl the book, stamped from Aved's bookstore.

The girl finished processing Mr. Gilbert's papers and handed them back, "Congratulations then, sir. Enjoy your flight."

L.J. winked, "I'm sure I will."

* * *

They were kissing again, for what must have been the tenth time since getting in the Custom Agent's line. "Please, Mr. and Mrs…"

"Harrison." The woman supplied.

"Yes, well, we need to get you checked in."

Mr. Harrison handed the passports and tickets and then leaned into another kiss of his wife. Looking up at the agent's exasperated face, he said, "It's our honeymoon. Isn't she gorgeous?"

Mrs. Harrison blushed and slapped at her husband, "I'm sorry." Only to have her husband pinch her butt.

The Customs Agent could stand it no longer. He stamped the passports and the tickets and passed the annoying couple off to the flight attendants. It would be their problem if the amorous twosome decided to try for the mile high club.

* * *

Gibbs watched as Tony and Callie entered the plane and took the seat behind him. He'd already seen Abby and Tim take the seats across. The attendants finished their boarding and flight preparation. Gibbs was impatient. Any time he expected the doors to fly open and something or someone to delay the takeoff. But nothing happened, and thirty minutes later, they were wheels up.

He heard Tony say something to Callie and then felt him kick the back of his seat. Callie leaned forward, placing her hand on Gibbs shoulder. "I'm sorry, sir. My husband's legs are a little long sometimes for the seats. Would you like to recline for your flight?"

He covered her hand where it rested and then turned, eye to eye with his female field agent, "Thank you, ma'am. That sounds nice. Believe I will." And he gave Callie's hand a squeeze before releasing it.

She looked across the cabin to see Tim and Abby snuggled up under one of the airplane blankets. Tim caught her glance and gave her a quick nod and smile. Callie returned the smile and leaned back in her seat. They were done.


	18. Chapter 18

Gibbs was returning from MTAC where they were getting Intel on another operation. He didn't have all the particulars yet but it could involve another overseas hop. He was, personally, hoping it would pass to one of the other teams.

As he rounded the corner into the bullpen he stopped. Turning to Tony, he asked, "How come it seems like half the time I come around that corner I'm asking 'where's Harris?'"

"Maybe because you do," he supplied.

"So?"

"So?" Tony asked, teasing his boss, "Oh? So, where's Harris? She said to tell you she had lunch plans and it was going to get nasty."

Gibbs cocked his head and smiled, "No, she said she had lunch plans and it's going to be with Nasty."

It was Tony's turn to be confused.

"You had lunch yet, DiNozzo?" Gibbs asked, motioning his Senior Field Agent to follow him.

* * *

"Callia?" The Russian purred as she took her place in the booth.

"Anastasia." was Harris' clipped reply.

"I understand your lab tech is back."

Callie smiled, "She is." And then she slid the blackberry across to the CIA agent.

Nastia picked up the apparatus and began to punch buttons, pulling up the screen. Looking across to Callie she asked, "What is this?"

"Plans for the Castle, all its security and weaknesses, including those we exploited to gain entrance. Formulas for the bioweapon and its antidote. In addition, you'll find a detailed list of all Voslova's contacts, including six presumed to have links to Al Qaeda. You also have a complete list of all assets, including properties and accounts, several here in the United States that you should be able to freeze."

Anastasia Chevnokoff looked nothing short of shocked as Harris continued, "You'll also find all the evidence, including the fingerprint match, confirming Voslova was, in fact, Igor Petrovsky, and, finally, you have confirmation of his kill. You can take them both out of your database."

"So, Gibbs got him finally."

"Not Gibbs," was all Callie would say.

Chevnokoff looked at the small hand held computer. It was a gold mine and she had this tenacious redhead to thank for it. From her purse, Anastasia pulled a vellum envelope and handed it across to Callie. Harris quirked an eyebrow but accepted the parchment. Opening it, she looked up quickly at the Russian.

"Perhaps I am not so 'Nasty' after all, Agent Harris?" As she stood in one graceful, fluid movement, she said, "If you get tired of NCIS, contact me. I will have a place for you."

Callie was speechless as the Russian finished, "Das Vadanya."

As she left, Anastasia met Gibbs and DiNozzo coming down the aisle. "Leh-roy?"

"Nastia?" and the men continued walking, sliding into Callie's booth and the seat vacated by the CIA operative.

"What are you guys doing here?" Callie asked.

"Gibbs told me about this great place for lunch and here we are," Tony chirped.

"You okay?" Gibbs asked, a concerned glance at his agent.

Callie handed the letter across to her boss. He opened it and whistled, "She must have really screwed up royally." And he handed the letter to Tony for him to read.

"Well, I've heard about these but I'd never seen one." He looked at Callie, "Until today."

He handed it back to Callie who shook her head, no. She looked at Gibbs, "Will you keep it?"

Gibbs nodded and took the letter, signed by the director of the CIA, authorizing a joint investigation into the Igor Petrovsky incident and providing for any use of force necessary to bring the case to a close. The 'get out of jail free' letter would go into Callie's file in the event there was ever a backlash from the events.

"So, since we're here," Gibbs said, putting the envelope in his breast pocket, "we might as well have lunch. Your treat." He glared at Callie.

"Me? Why?"

"Because of the ten phone calls you ignored," Tony supplied.

"And the fact that you went over my head to Vance to get permission to come to Montreal," Gibbs added.

"And the fact that you had just a little too much fun ordering me around in Prague," Tony responded.

"And, ultimately, because you slapped my head," Gibbs finished.

Callie was beaten. She waved at the server, "Miss? We're ready to order now. One ticket and I'll take it."

The guys shared a smile as Gibbs said, "Told you this was a great place for lunch, DiNozzo."


End file.
